Barred Owl

This is a different version of an image I posted earlier this year. The barred owl was sitting in my backyard at nightfall. I applied several textures and filters including Nik Low Key, and various Topaz filters. I'm not sure about the crop - I would have liked the branch to have exited at the top but I didn't have enough room to do that and not have it look squished. Thanks for looking.
Comments and suggestions appreciated.:S3:

Cheryl;

I love your Owl and as you said you would like the branch to go to the top I put it up there to see if you like it there. On second look I would like to see the bottom of the branch out of the corner.

I hope you don't mind me experimenting with the branch

Gus

Cheryl, I love the background and softness to it. Great job. Gus makes a good suggestion.:S3:

I love the colors and tones and you did a good job with the filters and textures. I like the branch where it is although Gus did a terrific job of moving it to the corner.

Somewhere between the two posts would do it for me. Cheryl, you did a super job with the textures and the background, they work so well to complete the image. Great and soft colors really make this appealing. Excellent.

Cheryl,

A great owl pic even before your processing, and the textures are great here. I like the slight upward tilt of his head .

Hi Cheryl, my favorite owl species. Love the filtering you have done. I hear these owls calling all the time at the cottage near Parry Sound, Ontario. I love how they call back when I mimic their call.

Beautiful image of a beautiful bird, Cheryl! I saw my first barred owl last year. Unfortunately, it didn't let me get a good picture. Lovely texture work and composition. Well done!

I like the composition of the OP. The owl seems perfectly positioned in the frame and on the branch. The background is beautiful.