Your modeling looks fine. It looks like you may be using the Skylark tutorial by Jeff Lew, as I usually do to start a new model. To simplify the mesh, try ending some of the splines, that run back across the top of the head, as hooks, so the splines don't ALL have to come down into the neck area. I suggest every other one or two should be made to end as a hook, and then farther back on the head make some more splines end as hooks.
Jim