This was a kind of grab shot from a car window when this guy suddenly appeared and perched just across a fairly busy road. Probably looking at a snakey meal below it. Probably a bit tight in the frame for such a in-your-face kind of bird.
Crested Serpent Eagle
D200, AFS 300mm f2.8 VR with a 1.7TC on a bean bag
1/50s f/8.0 at 500.0mm ISO 400
Agree with Dan, and also agree with your self-critique about being a little tight in the frame. Like the eye contact. I'd try to remove the vertical branch on the left. Also, the image seems to have a greenish tint that's visible in the eye and beak. Thanks for posting!
Although the BG looks a little distracting I like it because the bird still stands out! Love the pose, the eye contact, the colors and the textures! Congratulataiob!