Northern Harrier Gray Ghost

A Gray Ghost (Male Northern Harrier) allowed us to get quite close while approaching on foot, a testament to the respect that my participants showed this magnificent raptor while carefully and slowly moving toward it. Usually scarce and hard to photograph, there is an unusually high number of Male Harriers this winter!

Northern Harrier GRAY GHOST (Circus hudsonius, busard Saint-Martin, NOHA) from my WINTER OWL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP in southern Ontario, Canada ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Sony Alpha a1 Mirrorless camera & Sony FE 600mm f/4 G Master OSS Lens with Sony FE 2X Teleconverter @1,200mm. ISO 10,000, f/8 @ 1/5,000s Manual exposure.

Northern Harrier

A beautiful male Northern Harrier backlit by the setting sun and colourful clearing clouds was the final treat after a cold afternoon with a dozen short-eared owls during one of my Winter Owl Photography Workshops last winter.

Also known as the marsh hawk or ring-tailed hawk. The male is bluish-gray above with white underparts, a distinctive coloration that earns it the nickname among birders of "Gray Ghost."

Northern Harrier vertical

Northern Harriers made daily appearances during my Best of Bosque workshops again this year. This one seemed to love hunting along the ditch line in front of us.

Northern Harrier

I was in love with the backgrounds over the Maximilian sunflowers during my Best of Bosque workshop: So much more artistic that the contrasty, ugly and distracting bush-honed corn fields of years past.

Northern Harrier in flight

Here is a female Northern Harrier from yesterday (day 4 of my Best of Bosque workshop). We have had some near-epic Northern Harrier encounters so far. My favourite is still the one I posted on Wednesday morning with the cottonwood trees in the background SEE IT HERE.

Unlike many raptors, hen or northern harriers have historically been favourably regarded by farmers because they eat mice that damage crops. Harriers are sometimes called "good hawks" because they pose no threat to poultry as some hawks do.

Northern Harrier in flight in nice light

My group had some pretty awesome views of Northern Harriers yesterday. This is a female against autumn Cottonwood tree foliage. Things are starting to dry out after the near record-breaking rain the other day. Bosque del Apache was photographically slow with many Cranes and Geese, but very far from the road. I took the group to another reserve that had just reopened after the rain made the roads too muddy to drive without getting stuck. I have such a great group that I am really excited things are getting back to normal.

Northern Harrier

A female Northern Harrier from my Best of Bosque workshop last December. Perhaps a somewhat unconventional composition with the bird higher in the frame than the middle; I could have added canvas or changed the aspect ratio, but I rather like the empty space below the bird in this frame.

Unusual among hawks, Northern Harriers use their sense of hearing to help locate prey. They have an owl-like facial disk to help with directional hearing and soft feathers for a quieter flight.

Best of Bosque 1 opening due to cancellation Dec 6 to 10 2021

UPDATE: NOW SOLD OUT!

Best of Bosque Dec. 6 to 10, 2021 One spot open due to cancellation

A winter paradise for Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes and many other birds, Bosque del Apache is located along the Rio Grande River near Socorro, New Mexico. Touted as the Crown Jewel for bird photography by many, Bosque does offer some incredible images, but there is so much more to the area than just this one place. After many, many years of visiting the refuge and surrounding areas, I've decided to offer another photographic workshop there . This is, by far, the very best New Mexico has to offer in the winter; we will visit Bosque del Apache NWR when the conditions are right, but you will also have the opportunity to join me and learn where all of the other amazing, and somewhat secret spots are. We will visit some of my old haunts, blinds and secret locations.

Join world-renowned Canadian nature photographer, blogger, photo educator, lecturer, Sony ambassador and X-rite Master Coloratti Christopher Dodds in, and around, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge for 5 action-filled days of incredible bird photography, learning and fun!

The trip is timed to coincide with the very best time to be at Bosque del Apache NWR for fall migration.

Includes five days of professional instruction and guiding and logistics management by Christopher Dodds. Not included in the price is your transportation, hotels (I have a block of discounted rooms available at a discounted rate), park access fees, meals, drinks, souvenirs or other expenses of a personal nature.

Who should attend: This workshop is highly recommended for any level photographer. Whether you are completely new to nature photography, an experienced amateur, or a seasoned pro. There will be something to photograph and we will have plenty of time to tailor your instruction to your abilities. The seasoned pro can take full advantage of the logistics, my site and subject knowledge.

Getting there: Socorro is 73 miles from Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ).

Details: An extremely detailed email with the precise itinerary, hotel recommendations (for the night before your workshop), camera gear suggestions and tested clothing checklist will be emailed after registration is complete.

“My recent trip with Chris Dodds to the Bosque del Apache reserve was a roaring success! Five full days of shooting opportunities were exactly what I bargained for, and great lessons were learned. Specifically, high-quality results come with time, patience, and attention to detail. My experience with Chris gave me a taste of all three in a truly relaxed and fun atmosphere.

Each and every one of our five days working primarily with snow geese and sandhill cranes offered welcome variation in conditions to provide a broad package of opportunities. I left the workshop with a full portfolio of portraits, flight shots, behaviors, and great shots of those magnificent “blast offs” of thousands of white geese and elegant cranes, all under excellent light conditions for bird photography. Chris is a master at choosing and teaching about the best positioning for photos (clouds, sun, wind, behavior etc.) It was a busy time, with all the instruction I wanted, and that’s exactly how it should be!

I most admired Chris Dodds’ active coaching combined with openness to questions at any time. Chris was often right next to us shooting away and teaching-by-example, but his clear priority was to boost the abilities of each participant, no matter whether they were beginners or pros. It is a rare ability to coach a well-experienced photographer one moment, and then patiently help a newbie with a point-and-shoot learn how to set up their tripod!

I’m busily planning another trip or two with Chris!”

— Darrell Vodopich, Waco, Texas

Northern Harrier & " Stressful Jobs that Pay Badly"

Northern Harrier   (Circus cyaneus, Busard Saint-Martin) Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, USA ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, 500mm F4 IS, 2X II Tele-converter, Canon 580 EXII Flash with Better Beamer, Gitzo tripod and Wimberley Head II  ISO 400, F8 1/800s Manual Mode. Full Frame. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.

Northern Harriers have owl-like facial disks to help with directional hearing; unusual among hawks, they use their sense of hearing to locate prey.

This article from CNNMoney.com caught my eye when someone posted a link to it on FaceBook. They forgot to mention that no matter what your area of expertise, there is always a pile of people who don't depend on photography to earn their living; and those people will all do the job for 1/10 the price, or even free. I remember when I used to charge $5,000.00 for a wedding and there were always another ten "photographers" charging $500.00; you do get what you pay for. Most people think that the life of a professional photographer is glamorous and well paying....Sigh, smile.

Click on the image to go directly to the CNN article.

Comments welcome & appreciated.