Northern Harrier in Flight

As we pulled onto Skyline Drive from the Big Meadows Visitors Center I noticed a large hawk swoop low and drop out of sight over the edge of the meadow. Pulling the car onto the far berm we saw that it was now perched on a snag looking intently for prey.

Fearing the hawk would fly if we tried to exit the car we both began shooting through the open side window. After a few minutes the hawk flew on, soaring low across the meadow through the falling snow while I shot feverishly. Neither of us was aware of its identity so upon returning home I consulted a bird guide and learned that this was a female Northern Harrier also known as the Marsh Hawk.

A note about my new header:
I shot this skylined buck during the snow along Skyline Drive. Willard mentioned that it would look great if the exposure of the buck were to be darkened to create a silhouette and the gray sky replaced with a sunset. So here you have it, a Virginia whitetail skylined against a Pennsylvania sunset. It makes me wonder how we ever survived before Photoshop :)