I haven’t done too well in recent months getting pics of these elusive, hard to capture raptors. Last weekend, one finally cooperated.

Northern harriers are quite common here in the winter but their low flying erratic flights make them difficult subjects. For whatever reason, the males (aka the gray ghost) are elusive and not as often willing to stray close to people.

This particular one was hunting a drainage along the road. I positioned myself well ahead of it, hoping it would continue on its path and give me some shots and indeed it deed. I just love that gorgeous gray and white plumage and of course there are those brilliant yellow eyes.

I’m not sure if this pretty female northern harrier was annoyed with the snow or me taking her picture while sitting in it. Well, I reckon given the reaction I get from critters, we can guess it was me. 😉

Taken last month, I spotted her as she sat in a field in Longmont, Colorado. She really didn’t mind me at all and let me grab quite a bunch of pictures of her hanging out before taking flight away from the camera.

A quick capture from a fleeting sighting of this hawk this past weekend. Driving along, I spotted it as it hunted along the shores of a pond. I quickly raced ahead, hoping to it as it flew directly by. Of course, it had other plans and flipped a u-turn at which point I grabbed this shot as it departed.

My photo excursion Saturday was not as eventful as I would have hoped but I did get some decent captures of these cool hawks allowing me a chance to showcase the difference between the two genders of the species.

Male northern harriers are oftentimes called the “gray ghost” due to their gray plumage and piercing yellow eyes. The coloring of females is entirely different with brown plumage and while not as striking as the males, they are beautiful in their own right.

They both have an owl-like face with stiff feathers forming a ring around their head helping to direct sound to their ears, allowing them to hunt by hearing as well as sight. You will oftentimes find them in open land, particularly near drainages, flying low and fast with their heads down as they look and listen for prey.

Harriers are very difficult to photograph due to their low flight path and erratic patterns but also very fun to watch.

One of my favorite wintertime raptors in Colorado! While some of these guys hang around during the summer, northern harriers are most often seen in the winter.

That does not necessarily mean they are easy to photograph. In fact, they are quite difficult as they fly very low to the ground, moving erratically as they hunt for prey. This past Sunday, I was fortunate enough to come across this handsome fellow and he was nice and gave me a good flyby.

Female harriers are pretty in their own right and colored entirely differently, being brown. Males, with their white underbellies, gray top coat and piercing yellow eyes are just gorgeous and unusual. Throw in their propensity for being shy and hard to photograph and their nickname of “gray ghost” is quite fitting.

One of my favorite raptors and an image from nine months ago that I haven’t shared before. I have started working on end of year photo projects and came across this gem.

It was a chilly, crisp morning when I spotted the female harrier patrolling a field. Normally they aren’t too cooperative but this one proved to be an exception. She gave me tons of pictures as she was intent on confining her hunt to a relatively small area.

I managed captures of multiple flybys and a bunch of her posing when she would take breaks between flights.

Finally. Geez. It has been a long time since I have been able to get decent pics of a male northern harrier as recent encounters have provided stark reminders of why they are called the “gray ghost.”

While driving some backroads northeast of Denver yesterday, one was hunting the drainage along side the road, a common sight and a good way to find them. Recent attempts to get in front of them to get a picture always had them veering off before I could get a decent shot.

This handsome fellow took mercy on me and gave me a nice little flyby. These guys are just crazy cool with that gray plumage and brilliant yellow eyes.

You will notice their owl-like face. They say that the shape of the face allows sounds to be focused to their ears allowing these #hawks to hear their prey even before they see them.

A northern harrier circles a field, hunting for prey. Taken this past weekend in what was one of my top photo sessions ever with one of these awesome hawks.

I spotted this pretty lady sitting on top of a hay bale at Barr Lake State Park, Colorado. True to form, she took off as I approached but landed only 30 yards or so away.

That, of course, was an open invitation to see what else I could do with her. I would spend a half hour with her, photographing her as she alternated between flying over the fields hunting and taking breaks and posing.

I shot over 300 images of her, getting some of the best flight shots and static poses of a northern #harrier that I have ever captured. When all was said and done, I was grinning ear-to-ear and extraordinarily pleased with the images from the encounter.

Taken with my #Canon EOSR5 and my new Canon RF 100-500 lens which I am quickly falling in love with.