Canon EOS 5D
ƒ/10
400 mm
1/800
800

a female Northern Harrier hunting over Half Moon Bay today

17 responses to “Sea Bank by the Moon”

  1. ok, i give…
    ..without researching it… how do we know this is a female?
    ::)

  2. Fantastic capture! Well done!

  3. thanks!

    Leino: But, but, I thought all dem birdies were chicks…

    I’m no expert, but I was curious about her striking white ring tail. I found the likeness on birdphotography:

    and found details on the male/female coloration differences at wikipedia. I also had the benefit of some belly shots as she swooped like a cruise missle over the terrain.

    I like the lion-sized head on these birds. Over time, I am trying to get photos of all of the rodent eaters in HMB. =)

  4. well…
    someone will have to take a portrait of you there, since yer spending SO much time in HMB, you’ll likely get SO famished one day, that the rodents will look tasty, even to you!
    😛
    the question remains…. petite-syrah, or a nice cabarnet?

  5. absolutely beautiful!

  6. Bellisimma!!! …you could be Half Moon prey….;)

  7. Excellent shot……….exceptional capture of a fowl in flight.

    (Seen in the QEMD "Finch" group)

  8. Excellent shot.

    I think all species of female Harriers are referred to as ring-tailed, it certainly applies in the UK

    Seen in the QEMD "Finch" Group

  9. Great capture of that full spread of wings. I love the hawks around here.

  10. Looks rather like a juvenile, and to identify the sex is very complicated here. Male and female Northern harriers looks very much alike and resemble the adult females. However, juveniles have rather reddish upper sides, compared to adult femals with rather white parths. Both have white rumps, so I would not go so far as to say that we see a female here.

  11. thanks! So is there a reddish upper side clue here for the juvenile look?

  12. Yes, however I am not sure whether it is due to the light, but this one appears to be rather dark and reddish, with very few white spots. Without the underparts, it is almost impossible to to tell females from juveniles, let alone the sexes of the juveniles.

  13. Oh and here is a cool short video of a Harrier doing a in-flight refueling

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