Pied Harriers - Hanoi (II)

Some new photos of Pied Harriers taken at the Red River Island. Now two males are sharing the area but they don't seem to like each other very much!

A male arrive... I am well hidden, not behind a bush like before but under a camouflage net

Hovering few seconds low over cultures

Prey sighted...

Finally it catch a rodent not far from me!

Hm..hm.. maybe it has spotted me...

Suddenly, it fly off...

fly over me...

and land 100 meters away, still holding its prey

And finish its meal

This rather interesting harrier flew over me. The plumage is not typical for a juv Pied, which would normally have a uniformly chestnut brown body and vent. This one have whitish streaking in the breast, a greyish head. Typical 1st winter Pied is also fairly plain brown above, but this one show a grey background to its primaries.

I don't know if it is a 2nd winter bird - I am guessing so - or a 1st winter starting to show some signs of adult plumage, probably a female ?

Sebastien