My Nemesis Bird: The Northern Harrier

Simply stated, photographing birds is a passion of mine.

In fact, you could even categorize it as a near obsession during certain times of the year, and it would be a pretty accurate assessment, I would have to admit.

I don’t just love birds by themselves; I crave the challenge of photographing them just as much, some days even more.

One bird, however, has eluded my camera lens for many years now, decades even: the northern harrier.

Despite them being quite plentiful here in northern Utah, mind you, this large raptor has been an extremely challenging species of bird for me to capture on film since I contracted the photography bug back in the day.

Not a difficult bird to find by any means, but one I have always had a hard time getting close enough to for a great image, as they always seem to turn or bank away just outside the acceptable range of my 600 mm lens.

But last week my luck changed, at least for one image, that is, where I was able to get a decent photo of a northern harrier on the wing, the hardest photo of all for me with this particular species of bird.

I photographed this northern harrier on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route, an exceptional place to view harriers in action, last week as I was headed out to view the migrating tundra swans again.

In fact, I can’t remember if I have ever visited this particular refuge without ever seeing at least one harrier searching for voles, mice, and other rodents.

Most days, I reluctantly admit, they are so plentiful I actually don’t pay as much attention to them as I should since the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge actually plays host to the northern harrier year-round.

The 12-mile drive down Forest Street, along with the auto tour route itself, where the above image was captured, is a great place to view the northern harrier.

I was excited to finally get an acceptable image of a northern harrier, but it wouldn’t be fair, however, to not mention some of the other birds I was able to view while on the refuge auto tour route.

As soon as I arrived, a prairie falcon took off from one of the refuge signs.

It was quickly followed by a juvenile bald eagle contentedly perched on another refuge sign.

Bald eagles were very plentiful, as were the rough-legged hawks, Canada geese, tundra swans, numerous species of ducks, great blue herons, and a greater yellow leg for good measure.

It seems spring migration is underway, and as such, I am noticing more and more birds each and every time I visit the refuge.

I am anxiously awaiting birds such as the yellow-headed blackbird and the white-faced ibis to give me hope that spring is just around the corner and here to stay, but until then, I will continue to visit the refuge with my renewed energy to photograph the northern harrier.

I think the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge would be a great vacation spot for birders and nature lovers alike.

Nearby Brigham City offers all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay, and the refuge auto tour route offers solitude just a few short miles away.

If you like birdwatching, photography, and nature, in general, consider subscribing to our blog for updates and reports from the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and adjoining Great Salt Lake ecosystem, both fascinating places one can visit in a day’s trip.