Yesterday I went to Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge here in New York City and chose to set up in a location that I'd seen this Northern Harrier last week. When I spotted the Harrier I had just taken a photo at infinity and with the close subject and focused at infinity wide open the camera did not even try to hunt. I quickly tilted down to the water below the Harrier and it started to focus so I tilted back on and bang on focus. This is the first frame of my burst.
Lovely image. Unlike many of my images it is tack sharp everywhere.
On the purely technical side: the color and saturation feel a bit much (for me) and don't tie well with the somewhat muted color of the sky and the white-ish area on the tail. There also appears to be a processing glitch right above the beak.
GroovyGeek wrote:
Lovely image. Unlike many of my images it is tack sharp everywhere.
On the purely technical side: the color and saturation feel a bit much (for me) and don't tie well with the somewhat muted color of the sky and the white-ish area on the tail. There also appears to be a processing glitch right above the beak.
Thank you Boyan,
The photo was taken 15 minutes before sunset and the color is unchanged from what I observed and the camera captured. The background is the West Pond and a bit uneven due to out of focus ripples. The sky would be even and/or show clouds. Above the beak there are tiny feathers that look like hairs. Blow the image up and you will see them.
csinseattle wrote:
Morris,
Nice shot, they say when you see Harriers there are Shorties
Chris S
Thank you Chris,
I just checked and the last time a short eared owl was reported at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge was about 30 years ago. That was just one on a single day and the previous time was 10 years before.
guidostow wrote:
You have made her look beautiful Morris! Nice image!
Thank you Guy,
I've learned where and when she hunts and have now photographed her multiple times. She is a huge challenge as she flyers silently and along a shore line that is hard to see. I want to get a photo of her coming at me with the sunset light illuminating her face.
