{"id":21886,"date":"2026-01-24T08:22:42","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T13:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psnp.info\/p4td_\/?p=21886"},"modified":"2026-01-24T08:22:42","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T13:22:42","slug":"youngster-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psnp.info\/p4td_\/?p=21886","title":{"rendered":"Youngster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Immature Bald Eagle: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2026 \u2014 I took a photoprowl down along the path through the marsh beside the river. It is deep January now, so there was not much happening other than a large flock of Canada Geese and some ducks, but just as I turned back to the car, a raptor came sailing in over the marsh, low. My immediate impression was Northern Harrier. I lost it as it flew low against the trees out near the road, but then picked up what I thought was the same bird in the air coming back. Now I was doubting myself though. It no longer looked like a Harrier, though it was behaving like one\u2026flying low and buzzing the ducks. Eventually it soared right over me. By then, of course, I was under the pines that line the trail just before it reaches the road again, but I managed a few shots as it passed through openings in the canopy. Definitely not a Harrier. I was eager to get home and look at the images more closely to see what I had seen. This image is, unmistakably, an immature Bald Eagle (first year according to Gemini AI), but I did also get one shot of the Northern Harrier (against the light and only just good enough to make out what the bird is), so I did indeed see two different raptors behaving like a Harrier. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 450mm equivalent field of view (cropped to something like 800mm). Program with my action modifications. Processed in Photomator. <\/p>\n

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