Marsh Hawk (Circus cyaneus)

While strolling on the forest trails near Hatley Castle on the weekend I left a part of my camera tripod there. I returned yesterday but was unable to find the missing piece. However, since I was out there near Esquimalt Lagoon I decided to see if I could locate a couple of Belted Kingfishers I saw flying past earlier in the week. No luck on the Kingfishers but as I rounded a corner on the road behind the lagoon I spied a large bird on the ground whose photos make today's post. This is a female Marsh Hawk (Circus cyaneus), also known as the Northern Harrier. Though they are not uncommon, as is the case with so many of our local birds I had not seen one before. The bird has a number of distinguishing characteristics, two of which are visible in the photo to the left: Its wing tips look like they have been dipped in black ink and it has a clearly defined white rump.