Talk about a last-minute opportunity.
Yesterday morning, after nearly three mostly fruitless hours on Antelope Island looking for cooperative birds, I turned tail and headed for home. Immediately after passing through the entrance station to the state park and causeway, after I had already turned my camera off, stowed it in my lens caddy and secured myself in my seat belt, I spotted a male Northern Harrier hunting along the left side of the road edge about 75 yards in front of me. I saw him dive on prey and at first he stayed there, hidden in the grasses, so I thought he might have caught something.
Even with all the traffic beginning to line up at the entrance station I turned my camera back on and began to creep forward in the hope that I’d get lucky. It was a very long shot but what did I have to lose?.
Before I got anywhere near him he took off again and yes, he had a vole in his talons. He crossed the road in front of me, from the left side to the right, and circled back in the direction of the entrance station. With the vole in his talons I thought he might land close to the road or parking lot to eat it so I turned around to see if I could find him again.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
And there he was, perched on a fence post and ripping into the vole. He was strongly side-lit so none of my photos of him with the vole turned out very well. This photo was taken after he’d eaten the vole, cleaned himself up a little, and was trying to decide which direction to take off.
I was parked on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, facing west, but it was early enough that no one was leaving the island yet so there was no traffic coming my way. As a result I had plenty of time with the harrier in my viewfinder so my goal was takeoff and flight shots..
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I got several of them but this is one of the few that was sharp enough, with no clipped or cut off body parts. He surprised me by twisting on his perch, taking off in my direction, and then turning quickly and sharply to my right.
So in summary, I left the island and causeway defeated but last minute circumstances saved my morning. Just goes to show, Yogi was right. It ain’t over till it’s over.
Ron
OMG ! That gray on gray is fabulous and those poses ! Who really cares if it’s asphalt. If you hadn’t told, no one would ever have known. What I wouldn’t give for shots like that in my portfolio. I’d have those on my wall for sure. You must have the proverbial luck of the Irish! (And some great equipment, good skills, and a great location, but hey, let’s call it luck! )
My gosh, what a bird! Perhaps the most elegant of raptors — and that second shot is a stunner, showing off all his best features — simply gorgeous. I’m so glad for your last-minute photo opp.
I have to confess: I’m here for the photos, of course, but also for the colorful commentary, and I’m not just talkin’ Yogi-isms. “Well, one does want a hint of color” … “with eyes like a sunrise” … “Winged Victory” … And I’m imagining Mr. Gray Ghost snarfing down that vole like a teenager with a french fry. So thanks to one and all! 😉
That second shot in particular is a stunner. Love those tippy toes just about to leave…
Who ever said that grey was boring had never, ever focused on a harrier.
Good point in your last sentence, EC.
Sensational shots Ron, thanks or sharing!
Charlotte Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.
I sure like both of the pictures you posted. Nice to know that sitting in the pickup is comfortable for you. That sure makes a huge difference in doing something you love. Take it nice and slow.
Trudy, sometimes it’s comfortable and sometimes it isn’t. I have to play it by ear. Or by butt…
Wow, quite a morning – a beautiful shot of the Harrier and his acrobatic takeoff and a bunch of Yogi talk. Love it! Thanks Ron.
Two of my favorites from Yogi – “Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical” and “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
He was a legend, on and off the baseball field.
Mark, I go along thinking I have a favorite Yogi’ism and then I hear another one and it becomes my favorite.
That is one beautiful bird (harriers are my absolute favorite raptor), and great photos of him. I’m really happy you were feeling well enough to get out to shoot, and happy that he showed up just in time to make it worthwhile for you. Thanks for sharing these Ron.
“harriers are my absolute favorite raptor”
Bill, my HARRIER vanity plate is evidence that we have that preference in common.
Unbelievably beautiful! Who could guess those massive wings from looking at the first photo? I’m so glad you were able to end your birding day with a “Winged Victory”!
“Winged Victory”
I like that, Carolyn. It came a little late but at least it happened.
Love the way his long tail shows behind his wings. A great capture of a twisting takeoff – again!
Thanks, Pam. A split second after that shot was taken his tail would have been fully flared and on its way down.
First of all I am glad you are feeling better. I hope soon you will be restored completely.
Next..WOW! You totally blew me away with these beautiful photographs of a beautiful bird. Thank You!
Take Care,
Kaye
I’m glad you liked them, Kaye. Thank you.
Your 2nd shot is SO powerful! Would never have guessed the background is asphalt. The coloring is great compliment to the Harrier.
Thanks very much, Kathleen.
These are such gorgeous birds. That gray on gray is spectacular. I like the splash of red on the talons. “Well, one does want a hint of color.”
Arwen, I like that gray on gray too but now I’ll fess up. That lower background is an asphalt parking lot.
Stunning shots – so glad you got your reward.
Thank you, Burrdoo.
A most gorgeous bird. Those golden eyes. I wouldn’t mind my gray hair if I had eyes that color! Actually, I don’t mind my gray. but I’d like my ‘take-offs” better, with eyes like a sunrise.
“I wouldn’t mind my gray hair if I had eyes that color!”
Sallie, I haven’t been laughing out loud much lately but that line of yours did it for me. Thanks for that!
I only recently linked up with your inspiring bird blog, thanks to an article written in 2021 by biologist and bird specialist Dan Gleason/Eugene OR. What incredible photos and the stories you write about them! I’m glad you’re having a reprieve from severe pain, and are able to get outdoors to hang out with your feathered friends!
Welcome to Feathered Photography, Elise. Dan and I have never actually met but I have enormous respect for him .
Isn’t that one of Yogi’s favorities? That 2nd photo is super. Love it. I live in hope that one of these days a male is going to show up here at one of our lakes to join our females. In the meantime our females are gone as they always are as we move toward summer. Probably up there somewhere near you. Don’t strain that back.
Everett, I received your very thoughtful card yesterday. Thank you! I’m convinced that you’re one of that increasingly rare breed – a genuinely nice person.
Thanks Ron – glad you enjoyed it – our parents raised their 5 boys to be kind to others so I will give them the credit – the five “boys” are now 84, 79, 74, 74, and 72
Omygosh–gorgeous captures ! And a gorgeously- colored individual of a bird–
I’m so glad that you brought yourself to go out and try, at least, and what
an elegant affirmation of your effort– it ain’t over until it’s over, for sure !
Yogi was quite the wordsmith wasn’t he, Kris.
Love the tippy-toe takeoff. Looks like he still has some vole blood on his toes?
Thanks, Frances. Yup, he does.
Mr. Berra also said you can observe a lot by just watching, which certainly paid off in spades for you. That is an elegant photo of the Grey Ghost leaving his perch. And it looks like a vole is to this fellow as a fast food french fry is to a teenager: gone in a flash.
Lyle, I’ve been a fan of Yogi’s for decades – his skills on the field, his managing skills but especially his Yogi’isms. In my day I was a catcher so that’s probably part of it too.
I’m puzzled when you say “this is the only one that was sharp enough”. Was it because the AF failed except for the one photo? Knowing you and your past multi-shot series, it couldn’t have been your technique. Just curious cause I’m also thinking of going with the Canon R-series.
Elmer, I think they were a litte soft because I was using animal/eye recognition (a single active focus point that follows the eye) but it couldn’t, or at least didn’t, keep up with the bird moving very fast toward me. I probably should have been using zone AF. At least that’s my theory at the moment. Further testing should tell the tale more confidently.
WOW! Gorgeous take off shot! 🙂 Wing position – toe barely touching the post. Photography gods smiled on you a bit anyway.. 😉
Thank you, Judy. If anyone’s going to be smiling on me I’m glad it’s the photography gods.
For a guy waiting for back surgery, you’re doing amazingly well! The detail in the shadows of the takeoff photo are very nice.
“For a guy waiting for back surgery, you’re doing amazingly well”
Nancy, in part I can thank my typical shooting style for that. Shooting from my pickup isn’t hard on my back, as long as I can sit without significant pain. But it would be a different story if I was on foot and lugging my heavy lens around.