Northern Harrier (male)

Gallery: AvianPosted February 1, 2011261 views30 comments

Three unusual things about this image! Firstly, it was sunny yesterday here in Vancouver; secondly, it's a male NOHA, which I guesstimate is outnumbered about 20 to 1 by female NOHA's, or so it seems here. And thirdly, it's not in Utah!

This was purely a stroke of luck that he flew close by my parked car, as I was just about to have a sip of coffee! Well, it was only 3 deg Celcius!

Thanks for looking; your comments appreciated.

1D MkIV, 700mm, ISO800, 1/2500 @ f8, late morning light but the sun is still quite low here in winter, tripod.

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on February 1, 2011 at 1:16 AM

Talk about right place at the right time. Would be nice to see a larger version, but sharpness appears excellent. I like the shadow on the far wing, gives the viewer information on the direction of the light. I had an excellent opportunity with a male this summer on the shore of a lake, also in the morning. He flew by nice and slow within 60 ft., I was lolly gagging, watching the mist rise off the lake and was handcuffed with a darn cup of coffee in my hand when he flew past in all his glory. It is all about timing.

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on February 1, 2011 at 1:45 AM

Really nice - good detail and pose. Now that i think of it, almost all the harriers I see here are female too..
Those vertical lines (trees?) behind the bird draw my eye a bit, so I'd consider making them less prominent or altogether "gone", if possible.
Sandy

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

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on February 1, 2011 at 2:56 AM

Great shot, KC. You had a good opportunity that you caught in a superb way. Luky you that live in a place where there are so beautiful birds !
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on February 1, 2011 at 5:42 AM

I thought they were a Utah endemic! Wonderful shot KC - great eye contact and wing position

cheers
Rob

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

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 1, 2011 at 6:22 AM

Wonderful gray ghost shot KC! Not an easy bird to get a quality shot on.

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Dubuc on February 1, 2011 at 7:32 AM

Great shot! I like the head shadow inside the left wing.

Registered on January 4, 2011, 59 Posts, 229 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on February 1, 2011 at 7:37 AM

Beautiful work KC, detail/DOF looks very good.
Great BG, love that eye!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 1, 2011 at 7:38 AM

This is nice KC. I like the bird's position and the great BG. Really would need a larger version to assess critical sharpness and detail, but it looks good based on the small version. Always nice to get a male.

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

Comment posted by richard remington on February 1, 2011 at 7:57 AM

KC,

I never get tired of NH shots. They are magnificent raptors with interesing features. You have caotured this one nicely and congrats for taking advantage of the opportunity.

Rick

Registered on March 12, 2010, 105 Posts, 368 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 1, 2011 at 8:00 AM

KC,

How wonderful that this male flew by and that you were able to get some shots of him! It can be difficult to get them looking up since they always seem to be looking down for prey but you got a nice view of the eye. Colors, wing position, light and background all look wonderful to me. Sharpness looks good at the size posted.

It appears to me that this harrier may have a loose feather just below the eye where the light spot is, does it show that in the full sized version?

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

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on February 1, 2011 at 8:44 AM

looks great, KC! nice pose and comp, hope you didn't spill your coffee catching him! contrast seems a little high, but that is probably just the direct sun.

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

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on February 1, 2011 at 9:14 AM

KC the first thing I thought was that you had paid a visit to the Utah 2!

Always awesome to see a grey ghost let alone photograph one as beautifully as this - exposure looks spot on. Only nit is the head is sort of intercepted by the OOF vertical line. Post processing can eliminate this if desired of course.

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on February 1, 2011 at 9:15 AM

Congrats on nailing this male Kwan, sweet shot

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

Comment posted by Sally King on February 1, 2011 at 9:16 AM

My first question is did you spill your coffee? Awesome capture. Love how well the eye stands out.

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

Comment posted by David Williams on February 1, 2011 at 10:06 AM

It's a beauty, KC. Now you've got them coming to you! We also have mostly females around, and I can't seem to get anything of the male......did once about 4 years ago. I love the deeper colors you got here as our bgs would be much lighter. Congrats!

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 1, 2011 at 1:42 PM

Good reaction to get this, I like the wing spread and the look (those yellow eyes), well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Andy Shepherd on February 1, 2011 at 3:21 PM

You've got to be pleased with this, I know I would be!. Super shot KC,the light is to die for.

Andy...

Registered on September 24, 2006, 123 Posts, 1254 Comments

Comment posted by Karen Summers on February 1, 2011 at 3:27 PM

fabulous shot great eye

Registered on December 3, 2009, 83 Posts, 818 Comments

Comment posted by Monica Siri on February 1, 2011 at 3:58 PM

Wonderful capture, KC. This male is so beautiful and you captured him very well.

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

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on February 1, 2011 at 4:49 PM

Very nice, and very lucky!

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

Comment posted by Geoffrey Baker on February 1, 2011 at 6:09 PM

Excellent work

Well captured.

Geoff.

Registered on August 20, 2010, 192 Posts, 980 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 1, 2011 at 6:46 PM

Luck comes to those who are persistent Kwan and you seem to spend almost as much time with a camera as you do with golf clubs so it had to happen eventually - good for you! I especially like the wing position and nice look at that beautiful eye. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on February 2, 2011 at 12:13 AM

Looks like the year of the Rabbit will be a good one for you, Kwan. What a beauty!

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

Comment posted by Ken Archer on February 2, 2011 at 2:06 AM

A beauty Kwan! Great background too!

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on February 2, 2011 at 8:24 AM

Terrific capture, love the dark tones, eye and background too !
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Fabrizio Moglia on February 2, 2011 at 5:42 PM

Beautiful male in perfect position, perfectly sharpen and good light too !

Congratulations !

Ciao, fabrizio.

Registered on January 18, 2011, 5 Posts, 28 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on February 2, 2011 at 7:39 PM

Hi KC

Great capture of this marvelous bird.. wish it were mine

Albert Darmo. Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on February 2, 2011 at 7:43 PM

Thanks everyone! I didn't spill any coffee!

Mia, that is indeed a feather loose on its face - well observed!

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

Comment posted by Danny Laredo on February 3, 2011 at 10:12 AM

Well sometimes its all bout being at the right place and the right time and you indeed were.
Excellent shot.

Registered on March 18, 2008, 71 Posts, 332 Comments

Comment posted by Bryan Hix on February 4, 2011 at 1:27 PM

Not sure how I missed this one, but GREAT job. I love seeing males of this species. Very cool bird, great sharpness and wing position. Congrats on a great BIF shot.

Registered on June 13, 2008, 117 Posts, 755 Comments