Northern Harrier descending, #2

[Bill Dix]

On my previous post it was suggested that I keep trying until I get one with eye contact. So I went back last night, and got this frame of a Grey Ghost. Similar pose, slightly different light and background.

D500, 500f4 + 1.4 TC, ISO 800, 1/3200s @ f/7.1 manual.

(ps, thanks Geoffrey for the suggestion :t3)

[William Dickson]

Very well done Bill...Yer best one to date IMO. Love the wink :w3

Will

[dankearl]

I give this a 10 just for the wink..
The photo looks pretty nice also.

[Dorian Anderson]

This looks very nice, Bill. Actually like the downward gaze as it is clear the bird is actively hunting. You were wise to leave so much space beneath him, it gives him some nice space into which to look. Also love the talons.

I would like to see a bit more room on the right. Curious how heavy the crop is. IQ is decent but not perfectly crisp.

[annmpacheco]

Wow, Gail and I spent hours with Royal terns for flight shakes this week but now we need to spend some years looking for harriers with winks!!! Really nice harrier Bill, I like this one of yours the best!

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all. Dorian, this is cropped from horizontal, with just a sliver taken off the top. Perhaps not perfectly crisp but I thought it looked pretty sharp. Here's a repost (sans wink) with just a tad more sharpening.

Ann, I hope you got some tern shakes. The winking harrier is a rara avis, so it may take you some time to find one.