Theme:harrier with pheasant egg

[Bob Smith]

I posted this image a couple of years ago but it fits well with this month's theme so here it is again with some new insights as to what is going on.I had parked my truck at a bend in the road when I saw this harrier land in the edge of the field just down the road. I got on my tripod and started slowly moving closer until I could see she was messing around with something and thought maybe she'd caught a mouse. Only when closer did I make out that it was eggs she had. Sometimes you could see some yolk dripping from her beak. It looks like the baby pheasant inside the egg was almost fully formed and feathered, so probably pretty close to hatching. It was strange place for a pheasant nest in terms of it's proximity to the farm activity and road but most of the pheasants on Westham Is. are pen raised so maybe not. I couldn't get a better sun angle due to being on a narrow farm road fenced on both sides so I just waited until I got the best turn of head to let the sun light up one eye and side of her face. The half light half shade lends a rather sinister overtone of evil to the image. Canon 7DII, Sigma 150-600, f5-6.3 OS Contemp. ISO 800, 1/1000, f/6.3.182289<script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><object type="application/x-KPMPlugin" id="kpm_plugin"></object><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>

[Moe Richard]

Excellent light and eye contact. Good choice for the theme.

[Kalin Botev]

That's a great moment, Bob! I've never seen them do that. You got really lucky there!

[John Mack]

Sounds like quite the find. The harrier eating the eggs is very interesting behavior take it this bird has done this before. The processing looks a little odd. Does the eye on the right have the nictating membrane over it?

[dankearl]

Nice pose in habitat... The egg is pretty cool.

[Bob Smith]

182298
Sounds like quite the find. The harrier eating the eggs is very interesting behavior take it this bird has done this before. The processing looks a little odd. Does the eye on the right have the nictating membrane over it?I don't think the membrane is closed John, else the eye would be even more opaque. I did give a very light brush of + exposure to that side the face so maybe that's what you're seeing? I've tried removing that in this RP.<object type="application/x-KPMPlugin" id="kpm_plugin"></object><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="safari-extension://com.ebay.safari.myebaymanager-QYHMMGCMJR/ee3d5ef2/background/helpers/prefilterHelper.js"></script>