Cactus Wren

Canon 7D, 500mm f/4 + 1.4x TC, Gitzo monopod w/ RRS head.

1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 800.

Crop to 59% (10.5 of 18MP). Crop from top and bottom, from vertical to square(ish).

Taken at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument visitor center, 13 Feb 2010.

This Cactus Wren is the second of my series of 3 iconic Sonoran Desert birds. He was singing from the tops of various saguaro cacti. This was the shortest one he perched on (and therefore the least steep angle I was able to get).

The ISO 800 was, as in the last post, a mistake, I should have used 400 or lower. I used NR on the background. The head was less sharp than the body so I did a second round of sharpening on the head only.

I like the open bill singing pose, the ruffled throat and bright eye, and of course that the Cactus Wren is nicely perched on a cactus.

Comments and critiques appreciated, please view larger version if possible.