Northern Harrier

I spent a wonderful day on Monday with a friend who had asked if I'd like to go to the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge, southern Alberta. It was just over a two-hour drive there and the temperature down south was 37C (roughly 106F)!

This Centre is "Canada’s largest birds of prey facility. Situated on a 70-acre wetland area site, the centre is a celebration of nature featuring the hawks, falcons, eagles and owls of Alberta. Throughout the site and along the pathways, a number of birds of prey are sitting on their perches only feet away from visitors. These birds are all in various stages of training and receive lots of exercise in the daily flying programs. At the centre, they have one of North America's largest captive breeding populations for the endangered Burrowing Owl."

The Northern Harrier is one of the strangest looking hawks I've seen, especially when its head is turned sideways. In the wild, it is easy to identify because it flies so close to the ground and also it flashes a white rump. This bird used to be called the Marsh Hawk in North America.