This Pileated Woodpecker was the highlight of my day Tuesday.
He delighted me by drilling a dead locust tree near my blind. The two major obstacles to photographing him were the speed that he pecked and that he seemed to always be in the shadows. As you all know, when photographing wildlife one cannot ask the subject to move or to hold position while we obtain a better position.
I shot well over one hundred images and while many show bits of wood flying in all directions, motion blurr detracts from the overall image quality.
Note, to differentiate between the males and females look for the line that connects the beak and the throat; on males it is red while on females it is black.
He delighted me by drilling a dead locust tree near my blind. The two major obstacles to photographing him were the speed that he pecked and that he seemed to always be in the shadows. As you all know, when photographing wildlife one cannot ask the subject to move or to hold position while we obtain a better position.
I shot well over one hundred images and while many show bits of wood flying in all directions, motion blurr detracts from the overall image quality.
Note, to differentiate between the males and females look for the line that connects the beak and the throat; on males it is red while on females it is black.
Captured with a Canon 30D EF 100-400 1:4.5-5.6L
14 comments:
Beautiful!
Sheri
Terrific shot Salty. I haven't seen a woodpecker that close before.
Thanks for answering my question and happy hunting.
I'm just getting used to these fine woodpeckers, I'd not seen one until Abe posted a picture of one he shot.. He's certainly a stunner, you mentioned "Your Blind", would taht be what we call a "Hide".
Yes, I was pleased to see this woodpecker. I have shot one that came into our area last year. I must have shot close to 200 pictures and of those most are blurred, or the bird was pecking so much that his head was a blur and then there was also the problem of shadows. The one great picture was of him flying directly over my head and I snapped constantly as he flew past. Of those one is really nice. His wings are up against his body and he looks like a missle.
This is a marvelous shot. It has all the details. He seems a little fatter than mine.
Congratulations. A nice capture.
I have been working on my website. I added some horses today.
oldmanlincoln.com
What a great shot Salty. Just love the colour.
Didn't know that ID trick - good to know, and great shot! You know my theory: take 3000 shots to get 30 good ones!
Very cool stuff recently.
GREAT SHOT!!!! Great comments. Sometimes I shoot 100 and hope I've got at least one in focus. I heard this bird one time and he was so unusual sounding. I chased him but never got this close. Great catch. I hope I'm this lucky one day for this bird.
This is a great capture. I haven't seen a woodpecker since I got into photography but I know how hard it is to catch a bird sitting still. I was trying to get a good shot of a turkey to post for Thanksgiving and he never stopped moving.
Thanks for your thoughts and well wishes Salty.
I heard one this morning but couldn't see it. You got a wonderful up close photo.
GORGEOUS shot! I've never seen one of these before. We have plenty of flickers, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, but I've not seen a pileated before.
Well, you certainly got a wonderful photo of him!
Mari-Nanci
Photos-City-Mine
How beautiful. Love the colors. I have seen only a couple of Woodpeckers in Calif. Never tried to photo them since they are always high in the trees. Not sure but I don't recall them having all that red on them.. Perhaps the Calif. ones are a different color?? Great Shot!!
Great capture! I have seen some of these guys out but never have gotten a shot. It really surprised me at how large they are.
FANTASTIC shot!
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