Very nice eye contact and details here. I also liked the exposure and composition here. The negative space in front of the bird really adds to the image.
:D
Hi Ken. The eye, beak, and talons are all sharp. I spent a while looking at this image trying to figure out what was not quite right. Even though you've got the important parts of the bird pretty sharp, the wings, which are quite visible, are not. The light seems a little harsh. And the bird has flown past you. Here's a repost with some additional sharpening, a slight saturation boost, and a little highlight control. How do you like it?
Nice repost by Doug that addresses the main issues. In the repost Doug has brought back more detail in the whites - I'm not sure which method he used (there are many) but that is the "highlight control" he speaks of.
I like the repost Doug created. Wish for a slightly better wing position. Very nice image though Ken. Here is a tutorial on Linear Burn. I need to read it myself. Enjoy, good read. :)