Crested Caracara incoming

[Bill Dix]

Here's another from Martin Ranch, TX last November. From a blind.

D500, Sigma 150-600C @ 170mm, ISO 800, 1/2500s @ f/7.1 manual.

[Jonathan Ashton]

The light angle couldn't be much better and I really like the pose with fanned wing feathers. There is slight clipping, a little judicial use of luminosity reduction at raw stage would help plus a small lift in the darkest plumage. You may wish to consider lowering the blue component in the blacks - the detail comes out.

[Daniel Cadieux]

The spread primaries and the fully flared tail make this image for me. Nice to have some cloud in lower right corner.

[Isaac Grant]

Love the pose, love the bit of clouds breaking up the blue sky. Nice and sharp. The problem is the bird is not fully banking and the sun was not low enough in the sky so you have some shadows that I wish were not there. One of the reasons people like those fully banking raptor shots is because even in harsh light the bird is well lit and you don't have shadows. Same goes for the wings being fully on the downstroke. Upstroke is more difficult and requires early morning or late evening sun or cloud cover to get no shadows on the bird.

[annmpacheco]

Love the pose Bill but also in agreement with the sun angle not being your "friend!" Wonderful curled primaries really add interest. Looks SH, would love to see the shadowed areas... TFS

[John Mack]

Very nice. Really like the curled wing tips and the tail. Nice and sharp.

[arash_hazeghi]

looks very nice Bill, sharp with good details. I am OK with the shadows, the crested caracaras have very dark under wings. I only wish you has a more attractive BG here which would take this up a nudge. In the Texas ranch they should be able to get them against color easily
TFS

[Mike Poole]

I like it Bill, , nice incoming pose and the shadows don't bother me at all as they're not too harsh. Nice frame

Mike

[Arthur Morris]

I like the bird, the pose, and the photo. Baited?

am

[Bill Dix]

Thank you all. Yes, Artie, he was partial to frozen chicken parts. I should have mentioned that.