The Pied Harrier

[Kiran Poonacha]

This was a lifer for me, this rare beauty visits india during winter. I looked everywhere for him for almost 3 months with no luck at all. Then one morning out of the blue he turned up in one of the harrier roosting areas near my home town Bangalore and I was lucky to be there. After studing the bird for a few days I realised why it was so difficult to hunt this guy down. he hunts very early in the morning, once the sun is out he's gone and comes back very late in the evening, in between he rests under thick growth thats makes it impossible to spot him. he feeds on insects, frogs and small reptiles.

Made this image in very low light.

canon 40D + 500mm+1.4TC

Spec: 1/250, F 5.6, ISO 800

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Great find and I don't think I've seen this species before, thanks for sharing! I like the pose head angle and details. The yellow in the eye looks almost a bit too bright compared with the rest.

[Fabs Forns]

Kiran, gorgeous looking bird in sweet light. Perfect head turn, neat background and I love the raised foot.
Thanks for sharing it!

[Stu Bowie]

Lovely looking bird, sharp, and love the head angle. I also like the low angle of capture, together with the raised foot. Im wondering if you could pull a bit more detail from the blacks without showing noise. Overall, a fine image, and stands out nicely against that super OOF BG.

[Nate Chappell]

Gorgeous, I'd love to see this bird I've missed him on my trips to Thailand and India, the blacks look pretty good to me, congrats

[Hugh J McLaughlin]

Knowing your subject, as you have demostrated in this image, makes for keepers. The BG really offsets the subject.

Hugh

[Paul Kusmin]

Beautiful bird and one I've not come across yet.
I like the pose and foot lift, looks good for ISO 800!

[Nagesh Mula]

Beautiful pic, very sharp and a good head angle with raised food. Congratulation!!

[Ramon M. Casares]

What a gorgeous bird, great pose, light, detail, BG, comp, exposure, colors and again... species!!! Congratulations.

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

I won't mention anything that has already been said. I am really captivated by this image. Well done Mate!

[Melvin Grey]

That really is one exceptional bird, it makes our harrier species look very insignificant. Great pose, as has already been said. It was well worth all the hard work - a shot to be really proud of.

[Arthur Morris]

Kiranbhai, This is a stunning bird and an excellent image. Love the story and the head turn back towards you that makes the image successful.

I do feel that you have processed it too agressively. For the repost I used the "More Reduced Contrast" preset that I created. I rarely use it which lets me know that the original post was much too contrasty, at least for my taste (and the increased contrast in the original post reduces the detail in the BLACKS.

[Arthur Morris]

ps: Love the rasied foot too!

[Kiran Poonacha]

Thank you all dear people for your kind words...

Thanks Arthur Bhai for the PP, I sure have over done it. the repost works well.