Theme: "Like a drunk in a midnight choir"

Photographed this Corn Bunting April before last, driving around the rice fields just out of Lisbon, Portugal, on a stunning evening. Corn Buntings seem to shout out their song with great gusto, so it seemed appropriate for this "Bird on the Wire".

Canon EOS iD Mk IV, EF 500mm f/4 L IS
1/1250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600
Converted in DPP4, adjustments in PS5 including Levels and tweaking the contrast with a midtones mask in Curves, NR with Dfine.

Comments and suggestions welcomed.

Gerald

Nice light and singing pose. I'm not sure but it seems that you have motion blur
that shouldn't have happened at 1/1250.

Hi Karl,

Thanks for your comment. I'm not aware of any motion blur - can you be more specific as to where that appears, as I would like to look and see if that is from the original, or perhaps I have messed up in PP.

Thanks, Gerald

Real nice singing pose and also a look inside it's mouth Gerald, wire perch looks weathered which gives it a nicer look, these birds got very rare around here but pleased to say have now got a couple coming to my little pool,

Keith.

Hi Gerald, thats as fully open beak for such a small bird, but it is certainly showing off its singing talents. I like your ROT's in this, with the 'perch' in the lower third. I do like the graduated BG too.

Thanks Keith and Stu,

Good to get your comments. Yes, these little guys really belt it out.

I thought I might hook a few Leonard Cohen fans here with my allusion to "Bird on the Wire" - but there you go!

Best wishes, Gerald

I like the singing pose, wire perch, sharpness, BG and composition. Very well done Gerald.

Thanks Jim!

I enjoyed following the link through to your zenfolio site - you have a wonderful collection of excellent images. Well done!

Gerald