Northern Harrier

Gallery: AvianPosted February 24, 2011148 views9 comments

Another successful trip to my favorite grasslands parcel. In addition to this harrier I had 5 others, 3 red-tailed hawks and my first dark-morph rough legged (photos of which can be seen by visiting my blog)

Nikon D300s 300 f4 + 1.7X TC HH from car window
f/7.1
1/2000s
ISO 800

Cropped to 5X7 (50% of original), levels adjustment, sharpened using smart sharpen and USM, noise reduction on BG in CS5 on 27" iMac

- Luke

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on February 24, 2011 at 8:24 PM

Luke,

I really like the way the grass and the bird fit together. It demonstrates how her colors match the environment. The composition in this shot also works real well. Look for SEOs by the flight school. There have been a few there just before dark off the taxiway and they perch on the low junipers and wind socks.

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Saunders on February 24, 2011 at 8:38 PM

There is some lack of detail on the bird, but obviously it is pretty small in the frame. I like the warm light here.

Registered on February 6, 2008, 321 Posts, 3035 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on February 24, 2011 at 9:34 PM

Quite a golden image, Luke. I like the comp. That bird looks so stiff and straight and alert.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Bielefeld on February 25, 2011 at 8:51 AM

I like the color tones in this image Luke. Comp works for me.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 360 Posts, 7132 Comments

Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on February 25, 2011 at 12:10 PM

Lovely color palette, Luke. For me, it makes the shot. The crop cost you some of the detail in the bird, but the patterns are still clear. The comp is excellent.

Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on February 25, 2011 at 2:12 PM

If your aim was to depict the nobility of this bird, you succeeded. He looks positively regal. wonderful pose and I like the habitat you included. Nicely Done

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on February 25, 2011 at 3:02 PM

Great image! I really like that little bit of catch light in his eye. You can really see how they stay camouflaged in their habitat.

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on February 25, 2011 at 7:50 PM

All the warm colors are very appealing for me Luke. Sharpness and detail in the harrier look appropriate to me for the amount of crop, combined with the size of the bird in the frame. Comp works well also.

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on February 25, 2011 at 9:05 PM

Luke

The warm colors in this image are very appealing to me, it looks sunny in a good way. I like the size of the bird in the frame, the setting and the comp you used. I also like that you got eye contact.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments