Northern Harrier High Plains Raptor
by Karen Slagle
Title
Northern Harrier High Plains Raptor
Artist
Karen Slagle
Medium
Photograph
Description
The Northern Harrier is my favorite raptor to photograph. They fly with ease while hunting for prey with their head and eyes facing the ground. I saw this one from a distance sitting and preening on a fence post. I parked the car and got my camera ready and waited for her to fly. And fly she did, following the fence line for a half mile or more. I took numerous images of her but this was my favorite. This is a female harrier.
The northern harrier (Circus hudsonius), also known as the marsh hawk or ring-tailed hawk, is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost USA.
The northern harrier migrates south in winter, with breeding birds in Canada and northern Great Plains of the U.S. moving to the American south, Mexico, and Central America. In the midwestern, mountain west, and north Atlantic states of the U.S., they may be present all year. This bird inhabits prairies, open areas, and marshes.
Uploaded
December 3rd, 2023
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Comments (8)
Toni Hopper
Congratulations on your fabulous image being selected for a feature on the home page in Women Photographers only group for Feb. 3, 2024. Feel free to share it in our features archive discussion!
Stuart Harrison
It does give it scale when you add elements of it's surroundings.....very nice Karen!
Linda Howes
Great shot Karen! looks like he's ready to pounce! love the fence too! l/f
Karen Slagle replied:
Thank you, Linda, fun raptors to photograph and watch them hunt. I like to include some of their surroundings when possible.
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