It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one of these birds. I live in pretty dense woods, where these birds don’t normally hang out. About the size of a crow, though scrawnier-looking. This big bird certainly took me by surprise when he flew up above the feeder just a few feet from me. I believe this is a juvenile male.
Any
Canon 60D, Canon 70-300 IS USM @ 190mm, f/8, 1/90 sec., ISO 1250. Processed in ACR and PSE 2020.
Outstanding pose and head turn. Superb background and comp. These birds are quite noisy at times. The diagonal perch and open beak are real positives,!
Super portrait, Terry! I love the shimmering green background, providing good contrast for this dark bird. I’m glad you were able to show off the little bit of blue in its feathers…something I didn’t notice when I saw my first Great-tailed Grackle. Boy, it was so fun just to sit and listen to their unique and varied calls and songs.
I like the pose with the open beak. Good detail. The bird and perch form a nice ‘X’ pattern. I like the variegated background as well. Nice capture.
Hi Terry
This could be the opening for any medieval move, warning the local of coming danger. You did a very good job on the exposure. The blues and grays are clearly defined. I like the head turn and eye contact.
Pete
Thank you @David_Schoen @Mark_Muller @Allen_Brooks and @peter for stopping by, and for your comments and critiques. This is certainly a striking, if not beautiful, bird.
