Right between the burrowing eyes

[Jory Griesman]

Shot in Brian Piccolo park. Nikon D300, 600 mm f/4 VR lens with 2x teleconverter.
f/20, 1/50 sec, ISO 800, with flash (don't know the compensation), manually focused, on Wimberly.

I should have bumped up the ISO to get a better shutter speed, but didn't realize it at the time. Only minimal crop for symmetry of the background, but otherwise full frame, as shot. A question for y'all: a wise bird photographer (whose name rhymes with 'ladle') suggested I shoot (focus) right between the eyes - which I did. Of course, this is what's most in focus, but the eyes, not so much! Any ideas? I'm already at f/20. I don't think it's a function of slow shutter speed.

Thanks.

[Fabs Forns]

I think you problem is not DOF but shutter speed. The 2X does not help either.
That is a combination for good light and many images to get a sharp one, with good light. With low light, you chances diminish considerably.
Is that noise in the iris?

[Luis Villablanca]

The image looks sharp enough for me, very good considering that it was shot at 1200mm and 1/50s.
How close were you from the bird? Maybe the DOF was very shallow and the camera/lens are front-focusing.
Maybe a micro-focus adjustment would help bringing the eyes into focus.

[Jory Griesman]

I was quite close. Even with a faster shutter speed, I'm not sure why the eyes would then come into focus, as the area between the eyes and above the bill/beak seem sharp to me.

I selectively noise reduced the iris. I think what you see in the iris is not noise, but the detail that we may not normally seen in these birds when shot "wider", Fabs.