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Daily Bucket Friday Sequence: Harrier Edition [1]

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Date: 2023-04-07  

The Grey Ghost is a mature male Northern Harrier.

I had a diary all completed for this spot, but I deleted everything other than the title and started all over with what was a special series of Harrier photos that happened on my way home one evening after failing for a fifth day in a row to find and photograph a Golden Eagle. So the fact is my sequence for today began about a week before I shot the sequence that makes up this story.

This fuzzy very long range photo was what inspired a week long ordeal of trying to find this bird for a better photo opportunity. I still don’t know for sure what this bird actually was, but it wasn’t for lack of trying to prove it one way or the other.

On my way home from a long fruitless day I was about to top a rise to begin the last long downhill stretch to reach the Wagon Trail when I spotted a Grey Ghost hunting the pasture on my left. It was flying the same direction I was going so I sped up to get beyond the rise and stopped. I hurriedly got out of my truck hoping for some good luck. Nothing happened. I crossed the fence and walked up the rise through the grass thinking I might spot him flying on the other side of the hill. I hadn’t but started through the grass when over the hill he came, right at me. I got down on my knees and pointed the big glass eye at this beautiful bird bearing down on me. I’m having trouble with my eyes but it looked to me like I was getting the focus just right so I began to click the shutter.

S#1. The Harrier came right at me, but he was looking at something else. I didn’t move a thing but my finger on the click button. Closer S#2. He continued to ignore me. And closer S#3. The bird swerved slightly to its left. insuring me a light advantage, and began to pass by at ever closer range. Ever closer S#4. By this time I am Spellbound

S#5. My view just kept getting better as the bird was apparently convinced that I was no threat. Closer S#6. This series happened very quickly, You can follow wing manipulation click by click. Zooming by S#7. As he passed the light shadowed his eye when he looked toward his left. I knew this incredible session was about to end. ZOOM S#8. The Harrier passed by, gaining speed as he went, and headed down hill along the edge of a gully. I was ecstatic as the bird passed me by. I had a feeling I had just completed one of the best series of Harrier BIF opportunities I may ever have. The bird flew down the edge of a gully, then very quickly hopped over the fence. It began to rapidly shrink into the distance as it hunted down the roadside ditch toward the Wagon Trail. That entire flight sequence may only have taken a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. As I turned to make my way back to the fence with my truck on the other side I took a brief moment to look at the pics on the camera screen to see what I had. It was immediately clear that each shot was right on the money. I crawled through the fence feeling elated about this turn of events. I had not expected such a haul of pics or such an encounter and was quite content to resume my journey home with what I had. But wait! During the few seconds I looked at my pictorial plunder the bird crossed over the road and started hunting uphill in the ditch on the other side of the road/ It was heading straight toward me AGAIN! I quickly stepped in front of my truck and kneeled down waiting for it to get within good range. S#9. The Harrier came nearly to where I was kneeling in the road, then made a deft move that cleared the top strand of the other fence. His attention was riveted on the tall grass. S#10. It abruptly stopped midair and hovered in place, peering intently at something only he could detect. S#11. The hover stance opened as he prepared for the drop. S#12. A slight pause while tickling the grassy tips. S#13. After the slight pause he descended even lower. I hadn’t seen such a deliberate way of stooping before. Right after this he dropped to the ground where I could no longer see him. S#14. He again elevated but remained entirely focused on whatever he was after. As you can see I have moved closer to the fence in hopes of being able to look over that top strand of wire. The bird dropped and rose again repeatedly. S#15. He didn’t stay down for more than a moment or two before he again took flight. Now my camera is becoming confused about what to focus on. S#16. I could see through the viewfinder I was failing to get focus. The grass and thistle was outcompeting my bird. S#17. Suddenly the bird elevated above the grass into some clear blue sky and I was immediately back in business. Now I can see he has been hunting insects and has accumulated a fistful in his talons. So all those short lived stoops were producing results after all! Once over the rise the bird went down yet again, but this time didn’t come back up. I knew following would likely be fruitless, but at this point I had nothing to lose. I navigated my way up the rise to see if I could catch him feasting. This caused me to re evaluate the contention that Harriers are only successful about once in every twelve stoop attempts. I think it may be that observers cannot see that the bird has actually captured insects, or that the bird ate the insects immediately before quickly lifting back into the air. S#18. By the time I crept up to the top the bird had finished what it was doing and was already back in the air. I can see his feet show evidence of his feast but are now empty. Inspection S#19. The Grey Ghost glides away into the setting Sun. I chose to do the same. I want to thank you for joining me on this photo shoot. I may not have accomplished capturing a new bar setter but I certainly got more than I bargained for. My choice for top rung of my Harrier photo ladder remains this Gray Ghost I caught in a sequence (www.dailykos.com/...) on my way home from town last year. Don't blink! Harrier pauses on a fencepost with its prize. The Harrier got his prize and I got mine. Here’s hoping you get yours. I will add some more Harriers downstream and I’m anxious, as always, to see what you have to add to this Sequence Friday edition of the Daily Bucket.

THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS.

WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND HISTORY OF THE DAILY BUCKET FEATURE, CHECK OUT THIS DIARY: DAILY BUCKET PHENOLOGY: 11 YEARS OF RECORDING EARTH'S VITAL SIGNS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/4/7/2150627/-Daily-Bucket-Friday-Sequence-Harrier-Edition

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