Yesterday, Ingrid and I were birding over at Great Salt Bay, one of our favorite hotspot in the nearby town of Nobleboro.  We were seeing an overlap of winter birds that have yet to move north (Northern Shrike and Buffleheads) and migrating birds that have recently arrived from the south (Pied-billed Grebe and Tree Swallows).

Suddenly a male Northern Harrier, sometimes called “the Gray Ghost”, arrived over the meadows and circled around the area for a half hour.  Gliding just a few feet off the ground, the this long winged master of the air, rarely flapped his wings but managed to stay aloft using wind and thermal.

Breathtaking.