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.
