Northern Harrier - male

Gallery: AvianPosted November 14, 2008839 views29 comments

Hopefully you'll bear with me for posting another male harrier but I go for months and never get an opportunity with one. Recently my luck with them has changed a bit. Got this one this morning east of the Great Salt Lake.

40D, 1/1600, f/8, ISO 400, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, shot from car window (I'm no longer using a bean bag, just a thick towel over the window edge to rest the lens on), cropped to 52% of original image

Comments/critique appreciated

Comments

29 comments

Comment posted by Michael Ginex on November 14, 2008 at 7:42 PM

Sweet shot, Ron. I haven't even seen a male let a lone capture one; I love the wing position on this one. f8 worked well for you here. Sharp from tip to tip.

Registered on October 16, 2007, 80 Posts, 353 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on November 14, 2008 at 7:51 PM

Very well done. Love the background colors.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Jay Martin on November 14, 2008 at 7:54 PM

Great shot Ron!

Registered on December 6, 2005, 200 Posts, 2209 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on November 14, 2008 at 8:11 PM

Beautiful, Ron. I really like the angle on this one. Great wing spread and a nice view of the eye.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Larry McFerrin on November 14, 2008 at 8:38 PM

Ron, Post all these you want, this is great. The background compliments the harrier so well.

Registered on March 30, 2008, 34 Posts, 272 Comments

Comment posted by Keith Bauer on November 14, 2008 at 8:50 PM

Fabulous flight shot. Love the head turn, great wing position and the complimentary background. Very nice.

Registered on November 20, 2003, 458 Posts, 4836 Comments

Comment posted by Brandon Best on November 14, 2008 at 9:58 PM

Ron,

really nice image. I most like the sliver of sky at the top. The horizon here grounds the image.

Registered on December 13, 2006, 1 Posts, 51 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on November 14, 2008 at 10:53 PM

Great shot Ron, particularly the way it appears to have lifted and turned its head towards you.
Keep them coming

cheers Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on November 14, 2008 at 11:33 PM

Very impressive Ron. I like the way the primaries are separated and curved, the finishing touch on a beautiful Harrier photo.

(I also use a towel or sweater, usually lying around the car when hand holding from inside the vehicle)

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Terry Sohl on November 14, 2008 at 11:54 PM

Hey, I've gone for years and never gotten any decent Harrier shot, so I certainly won't begrudge you the chance to post such a great shot out here! Really well done...great detail and a nice head turn.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on November 15, 2008 at 12:11 AM

Exceptionally nice shot, Ron. It complements your post of 12 Nov 08 nicely. Good work on the DOF, and great techs. The head turn makes the shot.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on November 15, 2008 at 8:12 AM

Ron,

I keep hoping to get a Harrier shot suitable for posting, until then I will look at yours and dream of the day the light is right, the background is perfect and a harrier flies past my lens!

This is a wonderful image as posted. The warm tones of the background compliment the cooler tones in this male's plumage and the sliver of sky. Wonderful headturn and fantastic look at the bright yellow eye of this bird. I especially like the wing spread and being able to see the feather patterns on the back & tail.

Your Harrier images inspire me to keep trying to get some for my own files!

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Glenn Bartley on November 15, 2008 at 9:20 AM

Wow!!

Registered on June 29, 2004, 448 Posts, 1180 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on November 15, 2008 at 10:58 AM

This is great Ron . I'd be very happy with it .

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on November 15, 2008 at 12:59 PM

Very nice! I love the topside view of the wings and tail, and the head turn.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on November 15, 2008 at 8:51 PM

Super! I don't see a thing to improve upon. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on November 16, 2008 at 7:50 AM

Well, with results like this, I'd not be using a beanbag either! Terrific, Ron!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Lusk on November 16, 2008 at 11:38 AM

Excellent all around, Ron. Keep them coming!

Registered on September 17, 2005, 312 Posts, 600 Comments

Comment posted by Billy Fairburn on November 16, 2008 at 2:54 PM

Fantastic - everything else has been said

Billy

Registered on March 3, 2007, 123 Posts, 717 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on November 18, 2008 at 7:45 AM

Ron,

Big congrats on your EP for this image!

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on November 18, 2008 at 9:57 AM

A superb image and capture Ron. Congratulation on this week's EP. It's very well deserved - one of the finest flight shots I've seen.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on November 18, 2008 at 12:13 PM

Congrats for a well deserved win!

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on November 19, 2008 at 11:40 PM

I missed looking at this and commenting till now and I am sorry. This is a great EP, Congrats! I saw one of these beautiful males today while driving in Wisconsin and I only see one or two a year. Of course, I didn't have my camera.

Well done Ron.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments

Comment posted by Kirk Greene on November 20, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Unbelievably sharp image...the eyes really grab me right away! Great job on the techs. I have tried and failed with this species but this will keep me trying. Congrats on the EP!

Registered on May 12, 2004, 191 Posts, 1578 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Benner on November 20, 2008 at 8:07 AM

Sharp capture - congrats.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bennett on November 20, 2008 at 11:05 PM

Excellent flight pose and eye contact, I really like the background too.

Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments

Comment posted by raymond j barlow on November 23, 2008 at 5:00 PM

what a great shot Ron... congrats!

Registered on March 29, 2007, 218 Posts, 964 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on November 24, 2008 at 7:34 PM

A belated congrats on this one Ron, I was out in the field, great work.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on December 3, 2008 at 10:17 AM

Congratulations, Ron.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments