Acorn Woodpecker

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

http://yamo.zenfolio.com/img/s8/v10/p910537149.jpg

D3 200f2 + TC17EII (340mm) 1/2000 @ f/9 ISO800 HH matrix pp-tonal curves, whites contrast curves, bg nr, subject sharpening, about 75% linear crop (sigh)

Near feeder shot (only way to get this close, 15 feet, with my equipment even at 75% crop).

Does one leave space for a virtual tail?

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Michael I was thinking of the tail right of the bat and imagine would have to do with what is below? Does look odd without the tail but need to know what would have been included to say Very sharp, good pose and lots of detail with pleasing bg !!!

[Bill Dix]

Don't know what you could do about the tail here, but the rest of the bird is lovely -- nice detail including the whites and most of the blacks, and great eye. Beautiful bg. Would love to add one of these guys to my woodpecker files.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Michael - does look a little funny without the tail - good ha and eye contact and BG looks good and nice detail.
Not crazy about the perch - is this in your yard??? Can you setup a bette perch for him??
Hope to see more of this guy :)

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Alfred, Lance, Bill,

Greetings. Thanks for the comments... The location is on the deck at a relative's house that we visit (it's one valley over from Napa Valley in California, Green Valley). He's got feeders (I posted a hummer a while back from the same location). The perch is just a redwood deck railing where the feeder sits. Below this shot is just wood railing. All kinds of birds come to feed including California quail and wild turkeys. The deck is up high which makes for a nice bg of the middle of a group of trees off far enough to be well oof, with a good angle to the sun. This shot was one of two pairs and another 3 or 4 scrub jays and a couple of quail (skittish, hard to get) that morning.

I might be able arrange a better perch ... what do you suggest?

Bill, I think to get this woodpecker variety would require a trip to the West coast where they are fairly common in the foothills & mountains (not surprisingly where there are oaks).

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Bill Dix]

Alfred, Lance, Bill,


Bill, I think to get this woodpecker variety would require a trip to the West coast where they are fairly common in the foothills & mountains (not surprisingly where there are oaks).

Cheers,

-Michael-
Michael, I was out that way last September, and hoped to see these guys at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve, but they didn't show. Great place to visit, btw, if you haven't been.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Michael, I was out that way last September, and hoped to see these guys at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve, but they didn't show. Great place to visit, btw, if you haven't been.

Bill,

Greetings. Elkhorn Slough is about a 20-25 mile drive for me & I visit often... A little low for the woodpeckers at the slough itself (except at the entrance area of the reserve which is on a hill), easier to find in the hills (& mountains... seen them in abundance at Yosemite, for instance)... Better luck next time.

Cheers,

-Michael-