Northern Harrier - male

Gallery: AvianPosted November 1, 2009222 views24 comments

From this morning. This image is not my best effort with the species in flight (the head isn't as sharp as I'd like) but it's my best of this season so far. I'm so glad to finally have some harriers back again!

I tried to avoing cropping this much but there were some distractions in front of the bird and I didn't want to clone

7D, 1/3200, f/5.6, ISO 500 (I had accidentally bumped my camera setting from aperture to shutter priority and didn't know it), 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, cropped to 43% of original image, shot from pickup window, not baited

Comments/critique appreciated

Comments

24 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on November 1, 2009 at 6:49 PM

I tried my best to photograph some females this weekend, and I got some OK hovering shots, but man are they tough to capture! If you hadn't bumped it from Apeture to Shutter I'm sure the DOF would be a little better on this but the clarity/color/catchlight on the eye are really excellent on this photo.

How is the 7D treating you?

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on November 1, 2009 at 6:50 PM

Ron, I like this a lot. I have not seen any males down here yet. They always arrive later than the females and never in as large a numbers. I have had a hard time getting close to harriers. Maybe some day you can show me your special technique. Sharpness looks pretty good to me. Great eye contact and light on the face. I love the habitat.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on November 1, 2009 at 7:04 PM

Looks fine to me, Ron. I'd need to drag out my magnifying glass to say something adverse about the sharpness....and this is a Harrier in flight! I'm curious about the techs: I gather it's 500mm but at what iso? Excellent capture.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Jerry Marella on November 1, 2009 at 7:07 PM

Really nice, Ron. The detail and sharpness are impressive with a 500 and 1.4 hand held. I don't mind the grass in the BG, especially with the far wing almost in focus.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 142 Posts, 862 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on November 1, 2009 at 7:11 PM

Sorry - as Steve pointed out, I indadvertantly left my ISO out of the techs. It has been corrected.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on November 1, 2009 at 8:02 PM

A good start to the season.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Rohn B. McKee on November 1, 2009 at 8:12 PM

Really Like this Ron. Look for those Rough Legs Soon.

Registered on November 18, 2008, 109 Posts, 415 Comments

Comment posted by Drew Fulton on November 1, 2009 at 8:23 PM

Nice image. As you mentioned, be better if it was large in the frame and you didn't have to crop but its tough to get close to these guys. I've never managed to get close enough to get a good image. Keep at it!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 43 Posts, 357 Comments

Comment posted by Peter Conway on November 1, 2009 at 8:33 PM

Well I'm jealous. I have not seen one in months. I agree with Richard, great start to the season with the grey ghost.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 347 Posts, 3913 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on November 1, 2009 at 8:54 PM

Ron,

This guy sure is beautiful, love the setting with the tans & greens, the flight pose, the intense yellow eye and the great light.

You did very well considering the fast way these birds flew past! Is is a great start to the harrier season.

Love this image as posted.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Gatlin on November 1, 2009 at 9:56 PM

Nice start to the season indeed! Good shot with perfect harrier habitat in the background. Could be a little sharper, but it looks good, particularly the eye.

Registered on March 21, 2009, 202 Posts, 4187 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on November 1, 2009 at 10:12 PM

Great eye contact and wing position, Ron. The angle really conveys a feeling of intensity in this image.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on November 1, 2009 at 10:31 PM

I like this a lot as this is how I always see them. Like the intese look towards the front. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Twaddell on November 1, 2009 at 10:45 PM

Hi Ron. I do agree with the comment about the lack of a lack of sharpness! Looks plenty sharp to me! I have been chasing this species around all year with nothing to show for it, so I am jealous! I actually like the grass, so no nits from me.

Registered on August 16, 2007, 199 Posts, 2132 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Drummond on November 2, 2009 at 2:11 AM

Nice to see a shot of the male Ron - nice clear view of the head.

cheers
Rob

Registered on November 8, 2003, 617 Posts, 8267 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on November 2, 2009 at 8:23 AM

Thank you for the iso information, Ron.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Strand on November 2, 2009 at 8:25 AM

Nice capture Ron... I like him!

Registered on March 30, 2008, 416 Posts, 2885 Comments

Comment posted by KC Choo on November 2, 2009 at 10:12 AM

Males are rarely seen over here, too. I don't have much at all in my files, so capturing one in flight is terrific!

Registered on November 15, 2004, 519 Posts, 8278 Comments

Comment posted by kiran khanzode on November 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM

Beautiful capture, Ron. I like the habitat as-is, the light on the face/head is coming at a great angle.

I too own a 7D and find that Canon has still not fixed the issue of the mode dial switching accidentally (on the xxD bodies), I am pretty sad to see that my mode dial also switches (without me knowing) with a little bump/friction. :(.

Registered on February 21, 2009, 83 Posts, 428 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on November 2, 2009 at 3:58 PM

I would be very happy with this Ron. In reality I tried to locate one this fall during their migration - alas got skunked. Well done getting him this sharp from the pickup window.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on November 2, 2009 at 5:42 PM

Ron, a little birdie (Lia) told me that the snows y'all are having might force the harriers into closer range. Good image, and good luck!

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Shellenberg on November 2, 2009 at 8:20 PM

Very nice flight shot Ron. Nice wing position and nice lighting. The background really works well on this. As you mention, not as sharp as your typical razor sharp images, but I would love to have this in my files.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 168 Posts, 3118 Comments

Comment posted by richard ettlinger on November 3, 2009 at 3:50 PM

Nice one Ron! I'm still hunting for ther male! One day I hope

Registered on June 17, 2004, 377 Posts, 1565 Comments

Comment posted by Ákos Lumnitzer on November 5, 2009 at 1:50 AM

Wonderful image and lovely details considering how much of a crop this is. The IQ is superb!

Registered on April 24, 2004, 25 Posts, 510 Comments