Black-throated Sparrow

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

1/5000, f/5.6, ISO 800. (ISO 800 an inadvertent holdover from earlier in the morning. I used it on this and a few other shots I'll post. I think ISO 800 on the 7D looks MUCH better than on the 40D.)

Crop to 67% (12.1 of 18MP).

Went south for a week, to escape the snow and shoot some birds. Spent 3 days at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, then 4 days on the Gulf of California at Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico. I did not find a whole lot of birds at Organ Pipe--fewer than I see most years, for sure--but I was pleased to get good shots of three iconic desert species: Black-throated Sparrow, Cactus Wren, and Curve-billed Thrasher. I'll post the desert birds before getting to the many ocean and shorebirds.

This sparrow turned out quite well I thought, and I was glad to catch him on a nice cholla perch. I don't think the ISO 800 hurt, but I did run some NR on the background.

Comments and critiques are appreciated. Please view larger version to evaluate detail and sharpness.