Heads I Win !

[PhilCook]

Before anybody accuses me of baiting this bird, I assure you I didn't .....just thought I'd give ya's the heads up on that issue lol

This Black-shouldered Kite was hunting mice over the fields, and managed to capture a few feral mice over a short period of time....not my usual target species of little bush birds but this one sat nicely for a while while out walking in nearby bushlands.

Not overly happy with the exposure, really should of used manual rather than Aperture Priority ....next time maybe.

Canon 7d + 500 f4 + 1.4 x TC.....f6.3, 1/1250, ISO 200, +0.23 EV...hand held shot, small crop for composition, selective sharpen and noise reduction, color tones tweak to backdrop.

[Loi Nguyen]

Phil, looks like a white tailed kite here in the US. Very nice pose and good wing details. On my iPad, I don't see much details on epithet white, I assume this is what you referred to regarding exposure. I think the light may be a bit strong and that made it hard to expose this bird well.

[PhilCook]

Phil, looks like a white tailed kite here in the US. Very nice pose and good wing details. On my iPad, I don't see much details on epithet white, I assume this is what you referred to regarding exposure. I think the light may be a bit strong and that made it hard to expose this bird well.

Yes that's one of the aspects I refer to when I say the exposure was not as good as it should be, the bird was too bright initially so much detail was lost, highlights adjustment was added which also resulted in a somewhat greyish tone to plumage

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

The composition and the meal in it's mouth makes this image for me Phil. I agree the exposure may have been a bit off, esp the whites look a bit cooked. But otherwise a nice moment captured.

[arash_hazeghi]

Geez! look at that head! brightness looks good to me, but the eye color seems a tad off but maybe that is just regional variation between your kites and ours.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Phil. Wow! What a moment captured! The whites look good on my monitor. Very cool!

[Dennis Zaebst]

Agree that the whites look good on my monitor. Nice moment captured!

[David Salem]

Great shot Phil. Love the head being finished up at the end. Normally first. Exposure looks good over here too. Nice details in the greys. Like the perch and the color of the sky. Nice capture. P.S. like the catch light in the mouses eye:)

[Frank Schauf]

Nice scene and details.

[Richard Unsworth]

bye bye Mr mouse, great timing Phil all looks good here.
I see at least 2 per day, seriously, but yet to get close. Soon be breeding then I can find a nest to watch!

[Sidharth Kodikal]

Wow! Nothing wrong with the whites on my monitor either. Nicely timed. I wish I wasn't snacking when I opened this :)

[PhilCook]

Geez! look at that head! brightness looks good to me, but the eye color seems a tad off but maybe that is just regional variation between your kites and ours.

The eyes dont look quite right as you suggest Arash, I think a lot depends on angle of light to the eye as sometimes they appear red and other moments they look red..thanks for looking sir

[Robert Holguin]

Excellent shot.
Exposed very well, great perch, and great eye contact on both subjects.
Well done.