There are certain birds that take my breath away . . . that every time I see one, I’m amazed and riveted by the sight.

The Northern Harrier, sometimes referred to as the Gray Ghost, is one such bird.  It’s ability to glide, just a few feet off the ground for long periods of time, moving slowly and rarely flapping its wings is simply breathtaking.

This morning while birding blueberry barrens in Union, Maine I spied a female harrier on the ground (I wondered if they ever landed).  I then watched it circle the fields for about 10 minutes . . . never rising more than a dozen feet in the air and in one unending glide . . . banking to catch the wind or grab a thermal.  

A true master of the glide.