The New Sun

Is the jaguar down there supposed to be that big?
To avoid the scratchy quality in the background, try coloring in small circles rapidly. It takes longer to cover a large area, but it gets rid of that scratching.
Try doing your sketch in a lighter pencil, such as an an F or H (2H and above tends to scratch the paper if you're not careful), and when you're blocking in the colors, erase the pencil marks just as you get up to them.
You seem scared to get up to the edges; try sharpening your medium to a sharp point so that you can get up close. Drawing the edge with your sharpened medium may help as well.
I suggest putting the tail somewhere else, because dividing the composition in half is almost always a no-no.
I really enjoy your background, there's a lot of edge variation and it looks very natural. Your sky colors blend very well.
Your wings are da bomb. My only problems with them are that the left wing attaches higher than the right, its primaries change angle too steeply, and the curve of the top of the top of the right wing isn't quite gentle enough. But you obviously know your feather structure and what the wing does when in flight.
Your detail in the scales and wings is absolutely gorgeous.
Don't restrict yourself to the confines of your ground; it's okay if the wing goes off the edge a little more.
Despite your technique issues, you have an excellent grasp of the color theory. Your hues are very rich and believable.