Kestrel on a twig

Not too sharp, but this was about 100yards from the base of the tall Aspen it was sat in -right at the top. I was at the end of a long hide session on something else and managed to get the camera around.
How things have changed.! I,ve got one in a nest box I'll be working on shortly. Might even be the same bird !
Its a 50% crop off a horizontal.
Sigma 50-500
640 ISO
Cheers
JR

The sharpness is a shame but you have to take what you can get sometimes, and this is better than any Kestrel shot I have. Good stuff.

Thanks Richard
I only put it on really to show the way that bird photography has become so relatively easy these days, with the advent of digital etc , etc.. You could never have done this a while back .
Thanks for commenting
John

Sharpness aside, the headturn & catchlight in the eye make this a nice Kestrel shot. I do like how he is sat right on the very end of the perch & the clean background.

Lee

Thanks Lea
This forum should be all about showing what people can do with relatively cheap gear like I,ve got- which is why I put this on. I can't afford to be be one of the big 600mill boys ( couldn't carry one anyway ! )This pic would be plenty good enough for publication, as, let's face it they would'nt bebe using it this big on a book page. Trouble is- publishers have got Kes pics coming out of every orifice.
Cheers
John

Certainly looks like a precarious perch, nice pose and catchlight John and just goes to show the results you can obtain with a 50% crop.

Regards
Terry

Thanks Terry.
You can see there is quite a bit of noise in the blue, but does it really matter that much ?
Playing devils advocat ????( I need one ! ) here but whatever
Cheers
John

The sharpness isn't a problem for me John. The noise shows a little, but then I would be more than pleased to have got this regardless. Nice one.

Fran

Classic pose there John, nice light, great catchlight - it's got it all going on for me

Sharpness could be improved in processing I think, as could the bit of noise I can see, but overall it's one sweet shot

Better than any of my Kestrel shots John, good work.

Andy...

I remember the days when 6 megapixel was a luxury ...6 million of them little dots wow.Now ...24 and rising?Do we need em all ?Anyway back the image ,mole hunting was it? Nits covered ,nice pose and lovely clear blue BG .Nice one.

Cannot find a nit - not even a tiny one. Fabulous. Wish I had taken it.

A very nice picture John. Wish I could get one like that with my Sigma 50-500mm!

From that distance John you got a nice shot despite the crop which isn't a problem for me.

Brett

Sharpness looks OK to me! Wonderful pose.

Thanks all.
Must try more long range stuff.
Your comments appreciated.
Cheers
JohnR