Northern Hawk Owl

[Paul Merritt]

This is a rare bird here in NH. Last one sighted was 2002.

Canon 40D w/600L
http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/NHO3.jpg

[Jeff Nadler]

Paul, a great bird we are getting this winter! The fairly big nits are the steep angle, the left eye in shadow, and the perch being out of focus because of the angle and difference in focus distance versus a lower perch. If this is fairly close to full frame with your 600mm, I would have stayed much further back, taken the smaller bird size, and had it less steep. Perhaps people get tired of hearing the phrase steep angle, but such angles make the bird look funny-out of proportion. Hope you are fine with my honesty, and of course, a subjective critique.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Excellent documention image of this rarity for you! Artistically-speaking though I agree completely with Jeff. I would add that you could fix the brightest patch on the perch (below the wing). Easily done by carefully "borrowing" some neighbouring pixels and cloning them in...of course that is if it's within your ethics.

[Mark Schmitt]

Congratulations on your rarity. I'd love to see one, let alone get an image. Must agree with previous observations: would add that the bird looks a little soft in the focus. ;-)

[Paul Merritt]

Hope you are fine with my honesty, and of course, a subjective critique.

Thank you Jeff, one the main reasons that I post on here is to learn and I welcome your critique as well as the critiques of others too. Thank you for taking the to share your expertise, it is as always, much appreciated.