White Water Draw: November 2015 to 2024

Northern Harrier looking for lunch, White Water Draw, November 3, 2015. Canon 6D, Sigma 150-600mm at 600mmm 1/2000 sec., f/9.0, ISO 800, +0 EV. 

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Last month was the 9th anniversary of this blog. OMG!  I wrote the first post on November 8, 2015, just a few lines to test the posting process. The first real post was on November 10th on White Water Draw (WWD). On that trip I was fortunate to see a Northern Harrier cruising for critters over the fields right in front of me, photograph above. I got a good view of the harrier's bill, eye markings, and facial disk, an anatomic feature similar to the owl's, which focuses  remote sounds into the bird's ears. 

I have been back to WWD numerous times since, my last visit was on a trek with Club Camera Tucson* on November 21st. Below and to the right is a map of WWD from Adobe Lightroom showing the spots where I shot most of the images (orange and yellow squares). 

*For the photo/camera geeks: this is a great club, nice people, fun stuff to share and do. Check out the website. 

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The photograph at the top left and the one below it were shot from the "32 Orange Square" on the map, looking to the west. North is at the top of the map. As of November 21st there was no water in any of the areas inside the built walkway boundry. In past years these ponds have been full, providing habitat for water birds and a better environment for songbirds in the area. There is water to the north of walkway, "594 Orange Square," photograph lower right. The Sandhill Cranes are roosting in this northern pond to the far east, and far west. Flycatchers were working their routes over the water. There were a few ducks.

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Northern Harrier: November 2024

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 700mm, 1/4000 sec., f/10, ISO 2500, +0.67 EV. 

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The big show on the 21st was a female Northern Harrier cruising over the fields to the north and east, then zooming right in front of the viewing deck on the north side, to cruise some more to the north and west, then work her way south and back east. The sun was in the east and south early on, then worked its way west, but stayed to the south, creating better photographic opportunities during her flight on the northern side of the trail. 

In the image above she is flying to the east of the eastern trail, facing the sun, and looking for prey in the fields below. Here facial disk is evident.

She cruised over the eastern fields for about  20-30 minutes, then decided to fly west, making a close pass in front of the observation deck where I was standing. I was shooting at 700mm and literally had less than 2 seconds to try to track her as she came in very close flying right to left.

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 700mm, 1/3200 sec., f/13, ISO 2000, +0 EV. 

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​The frame above is one of the better ones, showing her hooked bill, white markings above and below the eye, and a hint of the facial disk characteristic of the Northern Harriers. If  you look closely at the edge of her mouth I think you will see a small white feather, likely a remnant of her last meal. 

Northern Harriers are in the family Accipitridae: hawks, eagles and kites. Harriers are most similar to Rough-legged Hawks, Cooper's Hawks and American Goshawks but are unique in their family for the predilection to hover low over their prey.  ​

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 420mm, 1/3200 sec., f/13, ISO 2000, +0 EV. 

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In the image above she is cruising over the fields to the west with the mountains in the background. The sun is to the left of the frame, lighting up her face.  

Below, she has come around flying toward me. She has two white eyebrows clearly visible as she looks down at 90 degrees looking and listening for ground mammals, as well as other birds including meadowlarks, Northern Cardinals and sparrows, all part of her winter diet.

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 420mm, 1/4000 sec., f/8, ISO 1250, +0  EV. 

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Below, it looks like she has spotted or heard something (someone?) and begins a hover. 

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 700mm, 1/2000 sec., f/13, ISO 1600, +0 EV. 

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Harriers don't soar and dive, nor do they take prey on the wing, rather they hover over the fields looking and listening. Above, the image shows her feather pattern and white rump. Below, she is hovering, looking straight down.

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 420mm, 1/4000 sec., f/8, ISO 1000, +0.33 EV. 

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Above and below, she has heard/spotted something, and stays focused. 

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 420mm, 1/4000 sec., f/8, ISO 800, +0.33 EV.

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She bends her neck way down, and slowly descends, maintaining the hover. One can see the horizon getting lower from frame to frame. 

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 420mm, 1/4000 sec., f/8, ISO 1000, +0.33 EV

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Lower, lower . . . . 
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In the image below one can see her alula clearly on the left wing. The alula, also known as the "bastard thumb," is a small group of feathers that grow from the bird's equivalent of our thumb, at the junction of the fused hand bones and the ulna/radius. It can be deployed like slats on an airplane, to break up the airflow and improve lift at slow speeds. It is common to see the alula deployed as large birds land. 

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Her tail is fanned and she is working her large wings to maintain the hover as she gets lower . . .

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And finally lands in the grass! 

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Northern Harriers live throughout North America, nesting in the northern U.S., Canada and Alaska, wintering in the southern U.S. including SE Arizona as well as Mexico and portions of Central and South America. 

On their wintering grounds, they are hard to spot up close, usually hunting on distant stretches of fields. However at WWD, the viewing area near water surrounded by fields improves the odds of getting closer to a hovering harrier.

​It is always a privilege and a pleasure to see them on a hunt.

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Sandhill Cranes . . . .

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Canon R5 Mk II RF 100-500mm with RF1.4 Ext. at 700mm, 1/4000 sec., f/10, ISO 1600, +0.67 EV

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No post on White Water Draw would be complete without at least one picture of Sandhill Cranes!  Yes, the cranes are back at WWD, foraging out in the fields each morning, coming back around noon, making a noisy ruckus and landing. Above from November 21st, likely a family of four coming in for a landing. My guess is that mom and dad are leading, with two juveniles from this past summer's breeding right behind them. Sandhill Cranes mate for life, and families stay together for some time, migrating, feeding and roosting together. 

For more on White Water Draw, background information, maps, and prior posts, see Birding Hotspots on the tabs at the top of this page, or click on the picture to the right. 


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That's all for now!  More soon.
Happy trails!

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