Unsuccessfully chasing a Harrier or two.....

Harriers frustrate me!  

I love seeing them.  

They are so interesting to watch while they swoop low, back and forth across a field looking for prey.  But I never manage to get good photos.  Since my abilities lie in the "auto-focus/point-and-shoot range", trying to keep up with them and getting a good focus is hard.  I no sooner find the bird and I run out of window space (shooting from the car) or it gets too far ahead of where we are sitting.  I know exactly where to go to see them.....Blue Grass.....and we always see at least one.  Yesterday we saw at least two possibly three.

 These are not good shots, but at least they give the idea of how the Harrier hunts.  They are easily recognized by that white patch right behind the wings.  They also fly low to the ground and their head is pointed downward as they hunt.

 Wings up, head down...typical!.....and trees in the way :-)

 This one is high up, hanging while it looks down.

Low and spread out. (Don't bother clicking on these...they don't improve!)

 We had unusual luck and found one sitting on the ground...eating something that must have been pretty big because we watched it eat for about 20 minutes before we gave up and left.  Now, you would think that in that length of time I might get at least ONE good shot????   No...the grass and the bird just sort of blend together.

 He would pause and look around and then the head went back down to his dinner.

We are sitting on a road and he is about 50 yards out.  Looked better with the binoculars than the camera.  I wish I had taken the extender lens with me.  I love seeing them....but just once wish I would get a better photo!

Sapsucker!.....

I was thrilled to see a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (?) on the maple tree the other day!  I haven't seen one for a couple of years.  I don't see a white wing patch, but don't see how it can be anything else.

 It appears to be a juvenile.....seems late in the year.

I can see a tiny bit of red right above the beak.

He was way up high on the tree....I'm sure you can tell that by the angle.  His back really blends.  If he hadn't been moving around a little bit, I might have missed seeing him.

I hope he comes back and tries the lower part of the tree so I can get better photos.

Wetlands walk part 2....Canada Geese

Here are the rest of my wetlands photos....mostly Canada Geese!

 There were groups of 7-8 geese in several different locations with a few Mallard Ducks scattered around.

 This group of geese were the closest to the bridge where we were standing and they were willing to pose for me.

 Head tilting.....do I look better to them that way??

 Grooming on the log

 "Anything to eat here?"

 Goose on guard duty.

 Serenity

 My photos didn't end up where I wanted them, so we have an interlude......we were curious about this sturdy looking nest.

 The reflections were very nice on the water and I like to play with them on the computer, adding color and contrast, but I will just show the originals here.

 Some dead water grasses....they were fun to add color to.

This one I colored up a bit.

 The white Sycamores stand out this time of year.

 A trio

 Flapping away, stretching the wings....showing off.

 Trio #2

 Setting sail upstream

The End

Walking at the wetlands in winter....

We took a walk at the wetlands the other day and it is interesting to see the difference between this time of  year and summer or spring.  Few birds were around, no green plants or flowers, no butterflies and bugs.  But the Canada Geese were there and a few ducks and the stark trees and things that I don't always see when everything is lush and green.

 It was warm enough that a few turtles were out with the geese on the logs of the creek area.

Not a great shot, but this little wren was sitting in the reeds.

The reeds reflected in the water.  It was a great day for reflections of all kinds!

Two turtles sharing a log

Up front on the slough waters there were a mismatched pair of ducks.......a young Mallard male?....

.....and the last of the resident "manky" Mallards.

Fungi covering a stump near the creek

"Alone"

 Bark

 I like this steel/wood bridge, although it is hot to lean your arms on in the summer.

 One of the wooden bridges

Fungi high up on a tree in the woods

 The sunlit grasses....couldn't seem to catch just how pretty they looked.

 A nice little flock of Canada Geese were in the creek.  I took lots of photos of them :-)

 Dipping and dripping

A family portrait?

More in my next post.