Close to my hometown there is a slowly flowing stream with a few small lakes. The track next to the stream is frequented by walkers and mountain bikers, and somehow the animals (water birds and coypus, mainly) are so used to the presence of people that they aren’t shy. In spring I return often to watch Great crested grebes that nest close to the bank. This year, their nest was disturbed by a storm and they moved to the other side of the stream, under an oak tree.
I liked the frame of young, green leaves above the nest. This is a photo of the changing of the guards, male or female (I can’t distinguish them) left the nest to make place for the partner.
I welcome all remarks on the composition and other aspects of the image. I know that the white balance is slightly off, but I like the result, so I kept it that way.
The birds were a great inspiration, so maybe you will see more of them 
Any pertinent technical details:
Camera: Pentax K5 with Sigma APO DG 4/100-300mm @160mm, f/6.3, 1/200sec, ISO1600.
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
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I really like this image. Beautiful bird and so nice to see the eggs in the nest. I also like the framing with the greenery and the overall composition. The only thing I might change is to clone out the stick in front of the bird’s face. I’m really not a big advocate of a lot of cloning but this one perhaps because it’s the only distracting limb and because it’s so close to the head.
Thanks Terri, I see the point. You are right, the stick is distracting and easy to clone out.
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Really nice image of a beautiful bird. You found a great angle to show off the bird and the egg. You have fine detail and those water drops add a lot.
I agree with cloning out the big stick in front of the face, and a few of the other distracting ones as well, along with the bright spots in the water.
The electric greens of the oak leaves really pull my eye, so I’d suggest toning them down a bit.
Well worth a little more work!
Sandy
Framing with the leaves is very nice. A bit of cloning / content aware work is all I would change. You got a nice capture here.
Thanks to all, as a newby to NPN I really appreciate the time that you spend to review the image.
As I answered Terri, I will clone out the stick. Sandy and Greg proposed similar.
But @Sandy_Richards-Brown, however, I won’t tone down the green leaves, as for me this is the bonus in the image, representing the spring. Matter of taste 
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I find this to be very interesting, seeing the bird and nest in the lake. This is much like the Loon in Minnesota, except they are usually on precarious banks right near the waterline. The stick in front is part of the environment but easy enough to remove as your option.
