pair of juvenile northern harriers

[Bob Smith]

I recently discovered a pair of juvenile Northern Harriers and their parents near their nest site and have been able to enjoy several visits with them These young ones let me walk up quite close to them before taking off but they didn't go far and remained in the area of the nest. Canon 1DxII, EF 400 DO +1.4xExt., IS , ISO 4000, f/8, 1/1600, HH

[William Dickson]

Hi Bob..where was the critical FP, it looks as if it was on the perch. The bird in front looks soft apart from the tail feathers. Same with the one behind. Also looks like something strange going on in the BG which actually covers the head of the rear bird. Did you get anymore shots, if the head of the rear bird wasn't behind the bird in front, it would look better. I would love to get close to Harriers...

Will

[arash_hazeghi]

nice find, both birds are OOF though looks like the focus was on the perch ...

TFS

[Bob Smith]

Hi Bob..where was the critical FP, it looks as if it was on the perch. The bird in front looks soft apart from the tail feathers. Same with the one behind. Also looks like something strange going on in the BG which actually covers the head of the rear bird. Did you get anymore shots, if the head of the rear bird wasn't behind the bird in front, it would look better. I would love to get close to Harriers...Will

Thanks for commenting fellows. I probably should have consigned this one to the scrap heap but they were such a pretty pair that I wanted to share them. This was the only image of the pair that I managed to get even this close to focus . They hadn't been looking in my direction and when they turned I shot pretty quickly so I may well have not quite centered the birds with the focus array. I'm not sure but I suspect that there was a stem of grass near me that intervened between the camera and the rear bird. It flew first and the front one stayed for a brief moment and I think I got onto that one a bit better, although I don't think it's perfect either.

[arash_hazeghi]

the harrier is very soft it looks like something was between your lens and the harrier, or perhaps it was shimmers on a hot humid day... not much you can do with files like this one

[Dorian Anderson]

Quite amazing to get two of them sitting still and in the same frame. That said, the frame is soft as others have mentioned. There is also a lot going on around, between, and behind the birds, so the frame feels a quite cluttered. A nice record shot but there's not much you can do to salvage this from a photographic standpoint.

[Bob Smith]

You are right on both accounts Arash. And I get the clutter point Dorian---it's a pity, because when you catch it right the pink blossoms in the BG can make a marvellous setting. I tried my to find a way to make it look better, but no luck.

[John Mack]

Nice find. Agree with what has already been said. Keep on shooting.