Gyr Falcon by Steve Duffield
Sometimes it's all about the bird...and birds don't come much better than this white-morph Gyr Falcon taken on North Uist by Steve Duffield; perched on perfect rocks, in a beautiful side-on pose and with a lovely blue background — a bird portrait doesn't really get much better than this.
I don't know whether Steve stalked the bird or whether it was a chance encounter while walking along the cliffs, but either way it must have been a great moment when it was found and even better when the shutter was pressed. You can almost imagine the thought process; "Please stay while I focus, please turn your head, please...click, click, click...oh thank you!"
Congratulations to Steve on his POTW, which was taken using a 500mm lens, shooting at 1/1000th second at f8 on ISO450.
You can read more on bird photography from Steve Young, including product reviews and a regular Photo Challenge for readers, every month in Birdwatch magazine.
Other notable images
Starling, Conwy RSPB, Conwy (Photo: Dave Williams)
Moorhen, Greylake RSPB, Somerset & Bristol (Photo: Carl Bovis)
Brambling, undisclosed site, Gwent (Photo: Mike Warburton)
Greenshank, Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, Devon (Photo: Pete Blanchard)
Reed Bunting, Hayle Estuary, Cornwall (Photo: John Rowe)
Pallas's Warbler, Portesham, Dorset (Photo: Tim White)
Bearded Tit, Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk (Photo: John Richardson)
Black-headed Gull, Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan (Photo: Peter Howlett)
Nuthatch, undisclosed site, Lincolnshire (Photo: Nick Clayton)
Surf Scoter, Guther's Island, Isles of Scilly (Photo: Joe Pender)
Velvet Scoter, Musselburgh, Lothian (Photo: Ian Andrews)
Mute Swan, Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincolnshire (Photo: Gordon Bowes)
Savanna Nightjar, India (Photo: Vipul Ramanuj)
Short-eared Owl, undisclosed site, Warwickshire (Photo: Phil Neale)
Lesser Redpoll, Tittesworth Reservoir, Staffordshire (Photo: Mike Neate)
