Cuckoo Finch - difficult nomad to track down

[Richard Flack]

Location: Devon Birding Routes (south of Devon)
Date taken: 18 January 2014
Photo details:
Canon EOS 7D
400mm f2.8 (1.4 extender)
ISO 800
Shutter speed 1/8000
F stop 4
Exposure bias -0.3

Large crop
Removed barb wire fence below bird. Sharpened for the web.

[David Salem]

Very nice take off capture of this unique bird. The full up wing position is cool but wish it wasnt shadowed. Nice job cranking up the shutter speed as it froze the bird perfectly and the head and feet look sharp.
Nice BG you caught it against too. Well done

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Richard, I liked the raised wings and trailing legs, and captured against a smooth BG. If this were mine, I would move the bird a little lower in the frame, so he has move room to fly into. The large crop is affecting the IQ a touch.

[Doug Brown]

That 1/8000 SS really paid off for you in the sharpness department. Nice wing position and eye contact. My only issues with the frame are the strong shadow line on the far wing and the absence of a perch in what is clearly a takeoff pose.

[Richard Flack]

Thanks David, Stuart and Doug. Really appreciate the comments. Bird photography is definitely a steep learning curve and I am at the beginning of the curve but loving it!

[Richard Flack]

Doug, perch was barb wire, so I decided to remove it. Do you think I should include it?

[Doug Brown]

Doug, perch was barb wire, so I decided to remove it. Do you think I should include it?

I'd like to see a version with it included. Just be sure to post it as a reply; don't delete the original image.

[Richard Flack]

Thanks for taking the time Doug!

[Doug Brown]

Not an ideal perch, but at least it gives the image context. I prefer it to the one without the wire perch. I'm interested in what other people think.

[arash_hazeghi]

great dynamic pose, I'd reduce the red channel (a bit hot). you did well here, I'm undecided about the perch. W/O it the image is missing "something" as the take off pose is very strong, at the same time it's not an ideal perch

TFS