I beleive this is a Juvenile. Maybe somebody could help me with the age. As far as I know they don't get their full white head until they are 4-6 years old? This was captured on the East Coast of Vancouver Island between Qualicum and Comox.
I'm unsure about this crop, do you think it would work better in portrait?
I'd say this is a 4 year old bird..maybe 3. As far as the crop...it's a matter of personal taste. I like this one but think a portrait could work as well. Nice environmental feel to this one..shows the bird in it's natural habitat so I find the BG not distracting at all...many people would love to get a capture like this. I would also like to know if/how much this is cropped.
I like the unusual pose and setting and would go for a vertical crop and sharpen the bird more. The horizontal branch behind the bird's head is a bit distracting. Keep them coming!