Striated Caracara, West Point Island, Falklands

These birds have character! I'm no birder, but I'm told that if Striated Caracara populated other parts of the world, they'd probably take over!

Nearly twenty years ago, I photographed my first caracara on Steeple Jason, a remote island in the Falklands. I thought I was pretty good because I stayed still long enough for a couple the birds to come very close, and using a 300mm Mamiya lens on an early Phase One P45+. After this trip, I realised how tame the birds are. Well, tame might be the wrong word - perhaps a better description is arrogant!

I think everone with a long lens on our ship took some nice close-up portraits. It was just after midday on West Point Island when I took a series of caracara sitting on fence posts. Light cloud softened the light which was just perfect for rending the fine details in the feathers.

I have a dozen or more portraits I'm happy with, but this one is my favourite. I think it's the way the bird is leaning forwards and really checking me out. We're probably around five metres apart and I'm sure he was just looking for food - and not me!

In post-production, I've darkened and desaturated the sky a little, then lightened up the shadows to ensure we can see all the fine detail in the feathers. This is one of the reasons I like shooting with a high-resolution sensor. I may never make a huge print, but I certainly love looking at the file on my monitor.

My next voyage to Antarctica with Tony Hewitt won't visit the Falklands as we are leaving from New Zealand and ending up in Ushuaia! Called Crossing the 7th Continent, it's an epic 34-day voyage in January 2027. For more information, visit https://www.betterphotography.com/photo-tours/workshops/antarctic2027-detail