Here’s another bird that I’ve seen many times but have struggled to capture a proper photograph of, the Northern Harrier.
It’s not that they are rare or are skittish birds that has made them an elusive photograph quarry, quite the opposite in fact!

Harriers fly low over open fields while hunting for prey, usually no more than ten feet gliding slowly so they aren’t particularly difficult to find or focus on at close range.
You’d think that would make for an easy shot but every time I see one they seem to turn around the last moment and fly the other direction.
Every.
Single.
Time.

But….one morning last month when I finally got off a few lucky shots of the handsome Grey Ghost (a male Harrier) at the Alligator River NWR in eastern NC.
Although these aren’t the best possible photos of the species, I was well pleased with the encounter.

Though there are our sporadic reports of them breeding in the state, Northern Harriers are a winter resident of NC and are a relatively common sight in the rural open areas of our eastern counties.
They are one of a few species of raptors which avoid wooded areas completely, preferring to hunt exclusively in open tall grass fields and marshes.

As referenced earlier, male Northern Harriers are nicknamed “Grey Ghost” for their steel grey plumage and their proclivity for hovering in the air like an avian specter.
The hens are just as beautiful as the males but are dressed in a pleasing array of warm brown, tan and white feathers.
Even at a distance, male and female Northern Harriers are easy to ID via that white spot on their rump. In addition, their unique behavior of gliding low over the fields makes them effortless to differentiate from other species of hawks.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on my beloved 50MP beast, the @canonusa #5Ds