I found this Red-Shouldered Hawk feeding on a snake just a few meters away from the parking lot at Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay, CA, in October '07.
Obviously, there is some distracting grass in the foreground. But I thought that the eye-level view is more powerful than a view from slightly above. What do you think?
In hindsight, I could/should have lowered the ISO...
I think you did well here John - agree with Axel re a little more space above and some Shadow/Highlight tool to open up the dense shadows. Very dramatic image!