A re-edit with Dennis’s suggestions - too much of a crop?
Red squirrels are my favorites. They’re so lively and curious. Plus they often scold me from high in a tree and do the back foot dance. It’s so funny. But they also take a beating, whether from scrapping with other squirrels (these guys are pretty aggressive) or from the many predators that find them tasty. This female shows it in her ragged ears and the wound just below. I think the fur disarray is shedding rather than damage, but who knows.
I put some seeds on this rock in my side yard hoping for birds, but knowing I’d get rodents. It’s ok and I got fairly close to her with the long lens so this isn’t much of a crop. Since reds rely most on conifer seeds and the lots on this side of the road don’t have many, we also don’t get many reds. This past year though a pair have moved in and this is my first serious try at photographing them. It’s a tiny bit artificial, given the seeds, but I want them to get more used to me prowling with the camera.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any feedback is helpful since I’m a wildlife newbie.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Lumix G9
Leica DG 100-400 f/4-6.3 @ 400mm (800mm equiv.)
f/6.3 | 1/800 sec. | ISO 1000
Handheld sitting on the edge of my patio
Lr processed for tonal improvements as well as clarity & texture. A bit of a crop, sharpening & nr. Used a radial filter to isolate her a bit more - reduce exposure around her and boost her color saturation.