Lark Sparrow

[Mike Lentz]

If memory serves me right this is Artie's favorite sparrow species. I have to say they are right at the top for me as well. Taken recently in an area that holds a few nesting pairs. It is interesting how to get the photo of these birds you can't use the call and they won't hit my props... instead you wait them out in their choosen areas and get them on natural perches, thank goodness for wild growng flowers and Common Mullien. They seem like incredibly mellow birds.

http://www.pbase.com/image/125124000.jpg

Nikon D300 ~ Nikkor 300mm F/2.8 with Nikkor 1.4x TC
ISO 400 ~ F/7.1 ~ 1/1600 sec ~ - 1/3 EV ~ Fill flash used

[Chris Zink]

Beautiful colors and nice sharp focus with a complementary background. The sun looks hot, but somehow that works OK here. Looks like he has a spider in his (her?) mouth which, as a serious arachnophobic, grosses me out at the same time as fascinates me. :D

[Ignacio Yufera]

One of my favorite North American birds, I often wonder why you don't see more photos of it. Nice bright light, and the flowers add a lovely color touch. Great job getting this on a natural perch, and the food in the bill is a bonus.
In my monitor, the focus point seems to be on the top left flower and the wing rather than the head, although at f/7.1 I guess it should all be sharp... maybe just my monitor.

[Tony Whitehead]

Nice pose, BG, perch and prey, Mike. Agree that critical focus seems on the flower leaving the head a touch soft. Definitely looks like a lark with sparrow coloring but my reference tells me that it's a sparrow that looks like a lark!:D

[Daniel Cadieux]

Great looking sparrow, and I love the beak-full of treats! Nice perch, although I'm kinda wishing to see the whole bottom flower...this would require a wider crop all around the balance out the image. I'm sure some additional shrpening to the face area would bring it up to par with the rest of the body. Very appealing image Mike!

[Joe Senzatimore]

Hard light handled very well. Fine image , aside from the head being a touch soft. Prey is always a big bonus.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Mike,
Light handled well and as always a big fan of prey addition. I think you may want to take the brightness down just a touch more. I do think another run of sharpening on the head will bring it up to par with the body....so worth a go! Pose, perch and BG are right on for me!

[Fabs Forns]

Maybe some inverse curve treatment would tame the light some more. As mentioned, the eye looks a bit on the soft side, which is a shame in an otherwise very nice image.