Hoodie (One for William) 400 miles there and the same back !!
My trip to Scotland proved to be less than fruitful- unless you like rain and Pine Martens!!- and at least I managed a new bird species in this Hooded Crow. Took three days with a hide on the shore of the Loch.
Slightly warey bird to say the least.!! My first bird on a rock !
70% of frame Blur on rock tarted up a bit. Taken in slight rain which made a change !! Saw two buzzards in a week and had three over the garden here today !!
Background is several species of bladder rack seaweed.
Nikor D7100
Picture size medium
500ISO
250th sec @f8 Sigma 50-500mm @500mm
John R
Nice image of your new species, John. I understand your frustration, I did a trips in the middle of winter in blowing snow 1200 km back and forth in two days, and had one species to show, a Northern Hawk Owl, it was.
That's a pretty nice looking frame of this species John. The detail in the lights and darks looks great and I really like the side profile pose with the perfect HA, the rock with the lichens and that nice BG. I would remove the vertical rain drops as I feel they don't add to the image and might be confusing to most.
I feel your pain and I have had the same thing happen many times before. If your going to get out and avidly pursue wildlife photography, your going to get skunked here and there. Understanding that, there are also big rewards to those who keep at it understanding that fact.
Nice job on this expensive frame
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Hi John. Sorry to hear that your trip to Scotland wasn't better. The weather recently has been really bad, you'll have noticed that a few of my recent shots have been in the rain Nice image of the Hoodie though I like the way you captured it on the rock at the seaside. Nice pose, POV and feather details. On my last trip up north, it was the same for me, nothing much doing. I did manage to capture a Slavonian Grebe but other than that just common species. At least you saw Pine Martens. Should have jumped on the ferry to Mull, you would have got more photos there, including WTE. Hope the weather is better in August for my trip to the Outer Hebrides.
Bummer on your trip not being what you had hoped but kudos on photographing a new species. I find this a very pleasing image. I agree that removing those 2 raindrops would improve this image. If the entire image had the rain, that would be a different story.
Great pose, details, exposure on the crow. Lovely colors in the BG. I agree about the rain drops; and while you're at it there is a small stray white line just above the talons that doesn't seem to belong there.
Very nice John.
Can't add much to the above comments except to say that the raindrops need to be evicted!
I too, feel your pain. We have all traveled down that painful road of spending time and money and getting nothing.
But what a thrill when it all comes together! Makes the bad days all worthwhile!!
gail
A beautiful image a nice consolation prize - and Pine Martens are a joy to observe. The look-back pose is very good. BG and perch as well. I agree with removing the two streaked rain drops and perhaps also the twig touching the claw.
Great looking bird, you got some great details in the face and beak. Nice smooth and lively BG. If mine, I would clone the only four streaks cause by the falling rain as they donīt add to the image.
Expensive Picture !!
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I like the way you captured it on the rock at the seaside. Nice pose, POV and feather details. On my last trip up north, it was the same for me, nothing much doing. I did manage to capture a Slavonian Grebe but other than that just common species. At least you saw Pine Martens. Should have jumped on the ferry to Mull, you would have got more photos there, including WTE. 
