One of my favorite places to watch and photograph birds is Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge sits atop Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York.

There are just so many opportunities to see so many different varieties of birds. There are opportunities to see birds you’ve never seen or see birds seldom seen in new ways.

I’ve seen Northern Harriers off in the distance from time to time. But I have never had a nice close look at them. That was until a trip to MOntezuma in October of 2020.

There is an area along the wildlife dirve where you can exit your car and walk to a viewing blind. So I did that. Standing there looking around. Not really seeing anything.

Then cruising low over the wetlands there was a bird. It kept moving towards me. I raised my lens to my eye to see what it was.

It was this majestic Northern Harrier. I was able to watch this fantastic bird for longer than I ever had before. SO many nice close up looks. Nothing like I had ever seen before.

But it only happens if you get out there. If you love nature you just have to get out there. Not every day will be magical, but the more you are out there the better your odds of seeing something cool.

Go enjoy some nature today.