Male Northern Harrier

Gallery: AvianPosted February 6, 2010286 views33 comments

Circus cyaneus

We had some decent light here on Thursday and this is one of my images from that day.

D200, lens resting on window, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 320, 200-400mm VR f/4 with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited. Background is a stand of phragmites. This is 79% of the original image. Please use the larger version to evaluate sharpness & detail. EV +0.3.

As always, I sincerely appreciate your comments & critiques. Thanks for looking.

Comments

33 comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 6, 2010 at 9:26 AM

Rich,

A warm welcome to NPN and thank you for making your first comment on this image. I will be looking for your first post!

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

Comment posted by István Molnár on February 6, 2010 at 9:36 AM

Wonderful photo.Moment caught well!!!
Congrats:István
Hungary

Registered on January 7, 2010, 114 Posts, 704 Comments

Comment posted by Gaurav Manglik on February 6, 2010 at 9:47 AM

excellent capture Mia. Details are awesome and the eye is nicely sharp.

Registered on December 2, 2005, 191 Posts, 2126 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on February 6, 2010 at 9:59 AM

Anytime one gets to capture a male NOHA (here anyway) is a bonus, but to get one in flight this good is like winning a lottery! Congrats, Mia!

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

Comment posted by James Campbell on February 6, 2010 at 10:18 AM

Just awesome! Lovely wing position, composition and the background is great.. Great work

Registered on January 12, 2009, 48 Posts, 377 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on February 6, 2010 at 10:20 AM

Superb image, Mia. Perfect in every aspect!!

Registered on September 20, 2009, 132 Posts, 3764 Comments

Comment posted by Sally King on February 6, 2010 at 10:44 AM

You guys are going to be the king and queen of harrier in flight shots. Another beautiful one. Love the light, the extended wings, and how clear the eye is.

Registered on December 2, 2008, 416 Posts, 4450 Comments

Comment posted by Joe Paratore on February 6, 2010 at 10:55 AM

Wow this is simply fantastic! Mia

This is also my first comment.

The downward wing position…. perfect!
The position of the bird flying out of the frame….. perfect
The background shows a sense of environment but blurred enough not
to be distracting…….perfect
Just an incredible capture. My hopes to able to get near that skill
level some day

Registered on January 31, 2007, 40 Posts, 160 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 6, 2010 at 11:17 AM

I noticed two things:
1. You didn't complain about the weather.
2. The shot is enlightened perfection.
Maybe a little good Karma handed down from the weather gods?

Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments

Comment posted by István Pénzes on February 6, 2010 at 11:51 AM

Great pose. Perfect shot. Excellent work.
Congrats.

István Pénzes
Győr, Hungary

Registered on January 12, 2010, 35 Posts, 192 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on February 6, 2010 at 12:20 PM

You two really are a lucky couple of so and so's down there in Utah

Not fair. Excellent as posted

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

Comment posted by Danny Mustar on February 6, 2010 at 12:41 PM

Great shot Mia! The sharpnes for an image which was taken with a zoom lens and a teleconverter combination is amazing.

Registered on January 1, 2010, 13 Posts, 24 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Gilham on February 6, 2010 at 12:45 PM

Another great image Mia. I love the intense look in the Harriers eye. Sharpness & detail are superb, as always! I also like the bg, as I always see these birds flying low over fields in this area, and this gives the feeling that he is flying low.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 77 Posts, 489 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on February 6, 2010 at 1:28 PM

Really nice, Mia. A wonderful capture; very detailed and just enough of the bg. Sharon

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

Comment posted by mark cillo on February 6, 2010 at 1:40 PM

Really nice detail and beautiful image!

Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Olsen on February 6, 2010 at 2:46 PM

How wonderful it must be to witness and experience this from the field to the monitor.
Great feather detail and sharpness!
Beautiful composition and blend with the background.
Excellent!...oh and I didn't mention...I'm Jealous!!
Congrats!!

Registered on October 19, 2006, 306 Posts, 1571 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 6, 2010 at 2:59 PM

sigh...I never need to "please use the larger version to evaluate sharpness.." - you're always tack-sharp!

Great flight shot and the BG is perfect.

Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on February 6, 2010 at 3:58 PM

wow, Mia, what a beauty. great detail in the face and wing, and sharp clear to the wingtip! You got great light on the eye too.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on February 6, 2010 at 4:37 PM

This is an ideal BIF image that I can only hope to obtain, maybe, some day, Mia....with luck. Just amazing detail, pose and lifelike realism.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on February 6, 2010 at 5:36 PM

I'd be real happy to get one of these in flight. Super nice and the crisp eye and beak are great

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 6, 2010 at 5:40 PM

Mia, just outstanding! Nothing else to say. Said it before. Very well done.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 6, 2010 at 6:23 PM

An excellent, crisp image of this male Mia

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 6, 2010 at 6:29 PM

Very nice - nothing to suggest changing here.

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 6, 2010 at 7:05 PM

Images of this species in flight don't get much better than this Mia. I especially like the wing captured at the bottom of the downstroke and the way it hides virtually all of the left wing. Others have said that everything is top-notch in this image and I agree whole-heartedly. Super job - I love it!

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on February 6, 2010 at 9:14 PM

Mia:
Great wing position and wonderful detail in the wing. Exposure spot-on for whites and darks. Ideal position of the bird with respect to pick-up window. Do you have a mandatory route for the harriers? It's an awesome shot.

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Dubois on February 6, 2010 at 9:28 PM

Everyone's already said everything I can think of so you get another one of these

and a coupe of these

Registered on February 22, 2005, 129 Posts, 4739 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 6, 2010 at 9:29 PM

That's about as good as it gets for harriers Mia - male, wonderfully sharp and all in focus and an interesting background.

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by John Kerr on February 6, 2010 at 10:45 PM

I'm envious of these great photogrphs Mia.

The large version is great, I like the detail in the wing with the repeative lines of the features. Great BG and nice sharp focus on the eye.

Registered on October 28, 2009, 111 Posts, 1070 Comments

Comment posted by Satie Sharma on February 6, 2010 at 11:50 PM

Excellent flight shot, Mia. I like the background, wing position and light here.

Registered on November 11, 2003, 189 Posts, 5335 Comments

Comment posted by Russell Colletta on February 7, 2010 at 1:40 AM

Fantastic instant in time. The detail in what had to be a rapidly moving subject is quite a catch. Wonderful Mia.

Registered on October 31, 2009, 114 Posts, 1008 Comments

Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on February 7, 2010 at 9:45 AM

Gorgeous photo of the "Grey Ghost." I seem only to get immatures and females. Would love a photo like this in my portfolio!

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

Comment posted by Andrea Marzorati on February 8, 2010 at 9:00 AM

Really an excellent image Mia

Registered on December 1, 2005, 86 Posts, 589 Comments

Comment posted by Muhammad Zaid Wani on August 11, 2010 at 2:09 PM

This is surely a winner in every way. Very nicely captured. I like it a lot.

Registered on August 18, 2005, 23 Posts, 1406 Comments