Portrait of a Brolga

[WJT]

Sometimes you get lucky, but it took 15 years of trying to get this close to a Brolga (Crane). Both shots taken with a 200mm at F:8, 1/200 and 100 ISO. Any suggestions to improve these two images would be appreciated. I have cropped both so have room to play.
1.

2.

[Bobobird]

Wow 15 years? Well at least you got what you wanted and a set of excellent shots at that.

[botspur]

Hi Wayne, #1 is very good with great detail and eye contact, to be critical I would clone out the light areas (lilies?) as my eye is distracted . #2 IMO the grasses on the left and the blade that falls across the crane is a distraction, but hey that's what it is placed in its environment.
Thanks for posting as it's a bird I've never seen before.

[WJT]

Wow 15 years? Well at least you got what you wanted and a set of excellent shots at that.

Thanks Bobo, I still want to get this close when they are dancing as that would be the money shot. This bird has an amazing courting dance. Hopefully not another 15 year wait.

[WJT]

Hi Wayne, #1 is very good with great detail and eye contact, to be critical I would clone out the light areas (lilies?) as my eye is distracted . #2 IMO the grasses on the left and the blade that falls across the crane is a distraction, but hey that's what it is placed in its environment.
Thanks for posting as it's a bird I've never seen before.

thanks Clive, I have thought about doing just that with the distracting lilies and grass but I tend to make a mess of it so will leave it natural.

[redrew]

Stunnning portrait of the Crane.

[Ken Curtis]

Nice shots. Worth the wait!

[WJT]

Thanks for your comments, I quiet liked this one too and have re-cropped it since posting it before.