The Black Dirt Farms in Winter

  
     Orange County in New York is known for its "Black Dirt Farms".  Rich soils deposited during the last ice age have resulted in some of the finest fields for onion and sod farms in the country.  These broad expanses are a birder's paradise in the cold months of winter.  Visiting migrants such as Lapland longspurs, Snow buntings, Pipits and Horned larks are common, but you have to scan the fields carefully to see them.  They prefer to forage in the deep furrows which have been plowed by the farmers.  Easier to see and so enjoyable to watch are the larger players on these fields.  With the cold temperatures come Northern harriers, Short-earred owls and Rough-legged hawks.  Today, we only had Snow buntings in the smaller bird viewing.
     But the harriers were out in large numbers.  We sat in the warmth of our vehicle and watched as the harriers hunted the fields at some distance. Occasionally, one would pay no heed to our RAV4 and would hunt within a decent photographic range.  The agility of these wonderful hawks is incredible and the photo at the bottom of the page shows how one harrier stooped down, hit the brakes, twisted in mid-air and pounced upon its unsuspecting prey.  Incredible shows for these incredible aerialists.