Male Northern Harrier in flight – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 800, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Northern Harriers fascinate me partly because they are sexually dimorphic; meaning that the males and females look different even though they are the same species, and also because of their owl-like facial discs.
The male bird above is in his second year and hasn’t fully gotten his adult plumage which is why there are some browns where grays usually are in adults.
Female Northern Harrier in flight - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
This female has brown plumage and her eyes are a straw color instead of the bright, lemony yellow that adult males have.
Harriers are agile fliers and can turn very rapidly when they are after prey. Right now it is nesting season for the Northern Harriers in Utah, I will be watching them to see if I can photograph any with nesting materials.
Female Northern Harrier in flight – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Typically I see far more Northern Harriers in the winter here in Utah than I do during the breeding season which might be partly due to the harriers preferring to nest within marshy wetland areas which are in abundance around the Great Salt Lake. In fact; many people still call Northern Harriers by the name “Marsh Hawk”.
The female above was photographed as she coursed along the Antelope Island causeway as she searched for prey last February.
Female Northern Harrier with the Wasatch Range in the background – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/3200, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
This is the same female taken as she flew east with the snow-covered Wasatch Mountain Range in the background. The white rumps of Northern Harriers help to make the ID easier along with the owl-like facial disc. Females are much browner than the males who are also known as the “Gray Ghost“.
I am always delighted to have opportunities to photograph Northern Harriers, especially when they are in flight and I am able to get some eye contact.
Northern Harrier chasing a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
This image of a Northern Harrier and a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk in an aerial dogfight over Antelope Island State Park was taken the day before the recent snow storm started that we had here in the Salt Lake Valley over the weekend. I wish the raptors had been a bit closer than they were but I might have clipped the wing tips of the Harrier in this image if they had been closer. It seemed more like they were playing than actually fighting.
The “fight” only lasted a few seconds and no birds were harmed.
Just an image I took yesterday of this male Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) flying by.
Northern Harrier male in flight – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Male Northern Harriers are often called “The Gray Ghost”, just by looking at the soft gray plumage I can guess part of the reason why they are nicknamed that. Because I photograph harriers often I can also say that they are very quiet in flight and they seem to sneak up on me often. Maybe that is where the “ghost” part of the nickname comes from.
Just a simple image taken yesterday of a female Northern Harrier flying along a road for today’s Friday Photo.
Female Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) in flight Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 314mm, natural light, not baited
Harriers fly with great ease, it seems almost effortless to me. This female was coursing along a road in search of prey and gave me some great views of her pale yellow eye and the bold barring under her wings.
Male Northern Harrier in flight – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 800, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
Female Northern Harrier in flight - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
