Black-headed Grosbeak

[Diane Miller]

Canon 1DX2, 100-400 II + 1.4X III, ISO 3200, 1/250 sec, f/10. Foggy morning. LR processing was only Shadows and Highlights. Cropped slightly on the sides. Into PS for some slight BG cleanup, subtle application of Nik Dfine and Detail Extractor. Contrast lowered on perch. Attracted to a feeder.

I wish he were less disheveled. Had probably been in the nest, as a juvenile showed up after a while. Or, judging from the pink stains on the beak he may have been in the blackberries. It's usually the House Finches that alert me they are ripe.

[John Robinson]

Dont know the species Diane but looks fine to me. Like the hint of structure in the BG Unusual perch too.
Good stuff
John

[Randy Stout]

Diane:

Very interesting perch, nice comp. and angle in the frame.

The fog has left him a bit flat looking. A bit of adjustment of the black slider would help I believe. I run into this all the time with loons on foggy mornings.

Cheers

Randy

[Diane Miller]

I agree, Randy -- the raw file was so flat it seemed I had gone far enough, but I see now it does need more punch. Also not sure if the wing feathers should have that touch of brown.

These guys appear only rarely so I'm not that familiar with them.

[Tim Foltz]

Diane,
Nice details, perch and BG.

-Tim

[Marina Scarr]

Lovely bird, BG and perch. Agree on the image needing a boost.