Mouths To Feed...

[Joseph Przybyla]

I captured this female Pileated Woodpecker coming back to the nest cavity to feed the hatchlings. Image captured at Circle B Bar Reserve in Polk County, Florida. Comments and critique welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Nikon D7000
Nikon 80-400mm F/4.5-5.6 VRII AF-S ED shot at 400mm (600mm FFE)
1/2000 F/8 Matrix Metering +1/3 EV ISO 800 AWB, camera supported by a monopod
Post processed in Lightroom CC and Photoshop CC
Cropped for composition and presentation

[Geoffrey Montagu]

This is priceless, Joe. My nemesis bird. I've seen them only at a great distance. You handled the bright light very well, and of course the over and under youngsters at the ready with mom fully attentive is just great.

Geoffrey




http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu (http://500px.com/geoffreymontagu)

[Daniel Cadieux]

A bit steep, but a fun find and image. Brother and sister look quite happy in their hole. I'd be OK with a tad more tree, and less sky, if only to clear the "virtual bodies" inside the cavity.

[Joseph Przybyla]

Hi Dan, here is an edit and repost per your suggestion of more tree for the virtual bodies of the hatchlings. The nest is about 40 feet up in the trunk of a dead palm tree in a small grassy clearing surrounded by trees and brush. I was a far back against the trees and had extended my monopod as high as I could and still being able to look through the view finder, so not really able to lower the steep angle. Thank you for viewing and commenting, very much appreciated.

[Julie Rathbone]

What a great shot, like the second crop, well done


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jim Crosswell]

I like the sharpness, chicks and repost looks good. Nice image Joe.
I will keep an eye out for you at Fort Desoto later this week.

[Lorant Voros]

I love family images like this one. Re- post works better for me. Nice you got eye contact with all 3 birds. Well done.