Conditions were perfect for getting some nice Harrier flight shots. A few dead Coot had washed up on the shores of a pond in the wetlands. No idea how they were killed. My best guess would be duck hunters tossed them or they fell victim to winter. It’s not unheard of Harrier attacking waterfowl and holding them under water until they drown. Hopefully these Coot didn’t die from some sort of illness that could be passed to the Harrier. Anyway, I was happy to take advantage of the poor Coot’s bad luck.

Northern Harrier are one of my favorite subjects. They are very photogenic with their owl-like facial disc and they like to fly low while hunting and frequently mak  beautiful banking turns with all their feathers spread out, and the male, nicknamed the “Grey Ghost”, is just damn cool looking.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my photos. Enjoy.