Jack Merlin with leftover

[arash_hazeghi]

Here is another frame of the handsome Jack Merlin I got with Dave Salem in SoCal. Prey was a small song bird. He had consumed most of it by the time we got there


Attachment 158850

1D-X 600II + 1.4X III. ISO 800. f/5.6 at 1/2500sec. hand held from truck. processed with DPP 4.3. hope you like it

[Jonathan Ashton]

Have to admit that is one heck of a clean shot my only minor criticism is the foot/leg and possibly the terminal part of the twig in that region, I would lower the luminosity value otherwise pretty much flawless......
I may even tone down the main branch a tad just to make it less obvious.
In UK we just have to dream of such light it is so infrequent!

[Glenn Conlan]

You have represented "Handsome Jack" superbly. Another great frame Arash!

[arash_hazeghi]

thanks Jon and Glenn, I toned down the perch and the the prey's hanging feet. also cropped a tad tighter

[Mike Poole]

The repost takes this already excellent shot up another notch. Lovely look back pose with the prey interest as you look deeper into the frame.

Mike

[Grace Scalzo]

Really nice image, made even better (although subtly) in the repost. I do like seeing raptors with their prey.

[adrian dancy]

Superb...the repost is better too. I have only ever had two very close encounters with Merlins and sadly I did not have a camera with me. How the bird manages to weave around an escaping prey item and then change its flight characteristics to imitate another bird is nothing less than extraordinary
I will never refer to a male merlin as a 'Jack'

[annmpacheco]

I like your second post for the adjustments you made. Such a slice of behavior to capture: with the blood on the talons, the dangling leg, and the flesh on his beak. Gorgeous light, rich color, and tack sharp. wonderful image

[Randy Stout]

Arash:

Lovely light, nice look back, lots of detail, prey item a plus.

I had a sense on the original post that the eye and back of head not quite as sharp as the bill and more anterior portions of the body. Not quite as noticeable on the repost.

David and you were really capturing some good stuff.

Cheers

Randy

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yep, the repost works better for me too. The prey's dangling feet is a very nice bonus here. Looks like the light may have begun to get strong, but you handled it well. Perfect head turn.

[Satish Ranadive]

Fantastic image. Superb look back pose. Rest as usual beautiful.

Regards,
Satish.

[christopher galeski]

Magic,both images,but repost a tad better,BG,pose and perch nice,merlin sharp with good detail,prey a bonus.well done.

[Jonathan Ashton]

The repost is spectacular, they don't come much better than that!

[Frank Schauf]

Great scene and setting you have here.