Great Spotted Woodpecker

[Rich Steel]

Hi

I have just set up a mini mealworm feeding station for Common Redstart which the birds have settled into well. The free source of food has also attracted this male woodpecker who is obviously feeding chicks somewhere as he is scooping up about 25 meals at a time (he will cost me a fortune!!!)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/squidfish_2006/gsw20.jpg

Taken with 1Dmk3 and 500mm lens at ISO 200 F7.1 -0.33EV at 1/320s with evaluative metering. Photo was taken form a 'pop-up' hide that has been left at the location.

Cheers

Rich

[Michael Menefee]

A very crisp capture that no doubt was helped by your close station in the blind. Great technique, and I like how you caught the bird bent over a bit.

[Arthur Morris]

Wonderful bird and sharp. Looks a bit dark and the bird is turned away a bit. Is the stump where you hide the mealworms?

[Rich Steel]

Thanks for the comments. The meal worms are placed in a pot which is attached to an upright branch in the ground adjacent to these small logs and tree stumps. I always scatter a few mealworms around on top and in holes in these stumps before getting in the hide. The stump the woodpecker is on has a hole drilled into its top.

cheers

Rich

[Arthur Morris]

I think that you could do a lot better in designing your set... I would look for one tall killer gorgeous stump and chisel out a vertical opening for the meal worms... And maybe one other nice perch in addition. You need to limit the places that they can land and give them options that will result only in lovely images... The more crummy places you give them to land the more they will land there... The chatper in ABP II on setting up your backyard has dozens of great tips like this, and than another 910 pages of great tips and images (he said modestly...) Good luck!

[Rich Steel]

Thanks for your reply and suggestions Art. The feeding station is primarily setup for common redstart with the woodpecker just being a bonus. I may need to make some modifications now as it seems to be a regular visitor. I have a large drilled stump in place in adjoining area where there are seed feeders so may need to relocate that. Its early days with the feeding station which will no doubt undergo various modifications as I use it.

The feeding station has a main perch. Not sure if your allowed put a second photo on a post but I have posted this to show the bird on this main perch at the feeding station. This also shows well why its costing me so much in mealworms!!!

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k217/squidfish_2006/gsw27-1.jpg

I will have to have another look through the chapter in APB 2. I have only flicked through as I prefer to read in print than on the screen. Guess I will have to put our office printers into action :)

Cheers

Rich

[Arthur Morris]

We shall allow this for educational purposes. Nice perch BTW!