Nature Nugget Contest Third Place Winner
Last summer we moved to a new location with plenty of room to observe wildlife. Forty acres of woods lie behind us as well as twenty acres of preserved grassland beside us.
One early spring morning while looking out our patio window, we noticed a large gray bird doing flips in the sky. Through the binoculars we could identify it as a Northern Harrier.
He was fascinating to watch. Soaring high, he would do two or three flips downward, showing us his white underside. We did a study on harriers and discovered this was a male bird attracting a mate. We saw him regularly, and soon we also spotted the female with her brown back and white breast. We also learned they nest on the ground in grassy areas. Would we be able to find their nest?
One afternoon in June I had an hour off to go exploring. My sisters did not want to accompany me, so Mom said, “Go out alone and see what you can find.”
So, I took my binoculars and slowly headed across the reserve land. Finding a tree for shade, I looked out over the tall waving grasses for any kind of wildlife. Mrs. Harrier was soaring in the sky. Suddenly I saw her plummet to the ground. Oh, I thought, maybe she found her dinner! I waited, hoping to see her rise with a rabbit in her talons. Nothing happened. Does she have a nest there? I wondered.
I started walking toward the spot where I had seen her go down. Then, about 8 feet (3 m) in front of me, a sudden burst of wings made my heart stop. Mrs. Harrier took to the sky. I took a few more steps, and then I spied the nest. Six babies huddled together in it.
I lit out for the house. My sisters just missed out on an exciting discovery. Maybe I could bring them for a visit too.
