swamp harrier

Swamp Harrier soaring over local lagoon.

I saw many Swamp Harriers on the trip, including some that flew up just meters away as I drove by. Key word there: drove. Couldn't stop to get pics. This was the only one I actually got a shot of. Distant, but recognizable by wing shape and that tell-tale white rump patch. This was while waiting...

Hunting over the pastures for mice.

Posting 3 shots of this bird today as I will be away for a few months shortly and unable to post anything.

This Harrier was obscured by power lines and then it suddenly banked enabling a clear shot. Thanks to my friend Hans Beste for positive ID Ken

I am determined to get a good flight shot. Meantime this poor attempt will have to do,

On Hindmarsh Island and had been to the mouth of the Murray River to see what shorebirds had arrived. While leaving, we saw one raptor disappearing. Stopped to see whether we could get any decent pics when its mate flew directly overhead. With a wingspan of nearly 1 1/2 metres not far above...

Another Raptor that I havn't seen before in this particular location

Showing the bird from above shows the white rump,so very diagnostic of this species,when compared with the Spotted Harrier,the other species found in Australia.This is especially helpful when seeing the bird a long way off,as they fly usually very low over grassland and swamps.

We have spent the past few days at Goolwa, near The Coorong (a Ramsar site), checking out the migratory shorebirds. In particular, we had heard that Latham's Snipes had been sighted near the Goolwa (Murray River) birdhide. We spent some time there and sighted one in the distance. While at the...

After a few busy weeks, we have managed to spend some time out with the cameras today. We we looking for shorebirds at a local wetland (without much success) and noticed a disturbance. Looking up, we watched these two for about 5 minutes, as the smaller raptor harassed the larger one, until...

Male swamp harrier landing on a duck nest box at Edithvale Wetlands in the bayside suburbs of Melbourne, Australia - taking a break from attacking the chestnut teal.

This was one of several kills I saw this bird make

A very gracefull bird in flight also a deadly killer I saw this bird make five kills mainly Waterbird chicks in 6 visits I made to this Lake

Who says the humble Swamp Harrier can't be as beautiful as any other raptor?

I'm really kicking myself over this shot as I had the camera set at 2/3 -EV to compensate for the bright tropical sun. I think if it was set at 0 EV the Harrier's head would have been better exposed.