Striated Caracara

Gallery: AvianPosted November 26, 2011183 views9 comments

Olympus E-3, 300mm, tripod
f6.3, 1/320, ISO250

West Point Island, Falkland Islands. Known locally as "Johnny Rook." They are fearless, and it's a challenge to keep them far enough away to photograph.

80% of full frame. Selective sharpening to bird.

C & C, please. Thanks for looking.

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Luke Ormand on November 26, 2011 at 9:37 PM

Beautiful shot and the low angle shows how tough and menacing these birds are... I forgot about their nickname as Johnny Rook. . . well captured

Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Frye on November 26, 2011 at 10:19 PM

Fearless -- I don't think I want to get too close to this bird -- he looks pretty serious. I'm not too fond of the dark vegetation in the upper left. I question the straightening -- just to see if it improves. Bird is sharp and I like the way the way the white feathers expode from the head

Registered on February 3, 2007, 387 Posts, 1136 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on November 27, 2011 at 12:45 AM

Beautiful bird - love the white streaming from the head.
A closer crop would lose the dark UL area, which I agree is distracting.
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on November 27, 2011 at 3:38 PM

These birds always look so mean, and your image captures that feel for me.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on November 27, 2011 at 7:40 PM

I like this a lot Jim. This bird looks so very intent on its "goal" whatever it may be. I've heard about this species and this image personifies what I've read and seen.

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

Comment posted by Dottie Short on November 27, 2011 at 7:50 PM

I think he's saying, "I dare you". Excellent capture.

Registered on April 12, 2010, 61 Posts, 375 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Backlund on November 27, 2011 at 9:36 PM

Being so close really shows the detail in the feathers. Not sure if the image is tilted or if you are on a slope. If it were mine, I'd rotate it a bit and crop a bit more to get that dark corner out. A great catch anyway you present it.

Registered on September 29, 2005, 252 Posts, 3380 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on November 28, 2011 at 4:08 PM

This one certainly looks fearless, especially in this walking pose, interesting to see how the white color fans out from the neck, not very often you do you have to keep a bird far enough away to photograph, well done.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by David Williams on November 30, 2011 at 12:02 PM

Neat capture and pose, Jim. Well earned nickname for the bird, too.

Registered on March 8, 2005, 315 Posts, 2291 Comments