Harriers-Adult Male and Friend

PrescottPhotog

Hi Everyone,

I saw these two off in the distance playing this morning, locking talons and having fun. It looked like it might have been a date.
They didn't get real close but this is the first decent shot of an adult male Harrier I've taken.
Hope you like them.

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Ric Grupe

Nice captures.

I see Northern Harriers quite often...but capturing them is a chore. They can really move...usually the other way!

PrescottPhotog

Ric Grupe wrote:

Nice captures.

I see Northern Harriers quite often...but capturing them is a chore. They can really move...usually the other way!

Thanks Ric, We have lots of Harriers around here usually working the grass and bushes for critters but this is only the second adult male (gray) that I have ever seen. These two looked like they were (or soon will be) a couple. They worked the area together all morning, all the way around the lake.

Louis Champan

A nice set Chris. BIF, especially of this type are hard to get.

Louie

PrescottPhotog

Louis Champan wrote:

A nice set Chris. BIF, especially of this type are hard to get. Louie

Hi Louie, Thanks for your comment on the BIF's

raptorcaptor

Nice set Chris! You are having way too much fun with those raptors!

bfjr

Man I'm mortified !!

I been able to go out huntin for the last two days and man I saw a gaggle of raptors :wow

However none of mine are going to be seen now :hide

jwear

I think this is the first male I have seen all have been juv. or females

PrescottPhotog

raptorcaptor wrote:

Nice set Chris! You are having way too much fun with those raptors!

Hi Glenn, Thanks for your comment. The Harriers are like the warmup band while I'm waiting for the Eagles to take the stage (or at least show up)

PrescottPhotog

bfjr wrote:

Man I'm mortified !! However none of mine are going to be seen now :hide

Hi Ben.. Thanks for viewing. I hope you post yours soon, I'll be lookin.

PrescottPhotog

jwear wrote:

I think this is the first male I have seen all have been juv. or females

Hi Jeff, I've seen one before, but just a glance. I think this is an odd transformation, to go from the brown/golden color of all the others to just the male turning gray. Especially for a bird that uses the brush and grasses for their cover. This guy was so vivid (the white and gray) I saw him all the way across the lake. I thought it was some other type of bird dive bombing the brown female. Then they got close and I saw them playing with each other in flight.

It's funny, I wasn't going to post this cause he was so far away.. but he kept scratching his ear while he was flying. You talk about an odd position, if you can make this out, his head is turned toward the camera, both eyes closed (see the white dots with the beak in the middle) and his talon is reaching up while scratching his ear. He did this a couple times.. hope you can make it out. Talk about flying blind..

#1-ear scratch in flight

BigAl

Nice ones Chris - I know how difficult it is to try and pin harriers down. The male looks like a cross between two migrant harriers we get down here.

PrescottPhotog

BigAl wrote:

Nice ones Chris - I know how difficult it is to try and pin harriers down. The male looks like a cross between two migrant harriers we get down here.

Hi Al, Thanks for viewing and for your comment. It is a drastic contrast between the male and females. I've seen hundreds of juvies and females but only two males.. ever.

riddim_maker

What else can I say

dbaker1221

good captures

Harryb

Excellent set Chris.