Red-headed Woodpecker

[Bill Dix]

After several frustrating days at Magee Marsh, we stopped at a picnic area in an Ohio State Park for a quick lunch on the way back to New Jersey. I was thrilled to find four Red-headed Woodpeckers flying around our picnic table. I've only seen this species a few times - they're rarities where I live. I was even happier when one decided to give me a good pose right where I had set up the camera. I just wished for a little more light; the picnic table was in a dark grove of trees, with backlighting from the sunlit foliage beyond, thus the high ISO.

D7000, 700mm, ISO 1600, 1/640s @ f/6.3 manual, tripod.

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Bill, I bet you were excited to see this fellow close to you. Love the way he is showing off away from the tree trunk and against the lighter BG. Colours and detail look good, and what looks like an acorn a bonus in his beak.

Is there a green cast on the tree trunk - maybe from the surrounding foliage.

[Sanjeev Aurangabadkar]

Bill, this is just too good! You got a great pose and the meal in his mouth is an extra bonus! Well done.

[Daniel Cadieux]

These guys are rare up here too, with only one known pair breeding at the same spot every year...a good drive away too so for me its always a treat to see an image of one. Good comp, exposure, details. I was going to mention a green cast too. I'd be tempted too smooth out the paler streak touching the back of the head and the greyish one in ULC.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Bill,

Isn't it great when you get a good opportunity with a rare species in the area? It's even better when you capitalize like you did here :)

Even with the low light you balanced the image well. I also see a greenish cast in the tree, but the whites look clean to me. Easy check though.

Miguel

[Bill Dix]

Thanks guys. It isn't the first time I've missed a green cast. I think Stuart is right that the grove of trees acted as a green filter. I added a bit of magenta to the trunk, and warmed up the entire image a bit with a #85 filter to correct a little bluish tendency in the whites. I also toned down the several pale streaks in the bg, per Daniel's suggestion. Improvements, all of them. I always appreciate the suggestions.

[Karl Egressy]

Great image, Bill. This bird is not a friendly one in our area. I have been going to the same place year after year, and still I haven't got one landing close enough

[Jan Wegener]

great image Bill

[Don Lacy]

Wonderful image Bill, the repost corrected the few issues that were there.

[Joel Eade]

Beautiful , I have a pair visiting my yard for the first time. You did we'll with the exposure in difficult light.....good detail in the reds and whites.

[Robert Holguin]

Terrific shot Bill!
Love that you captured it with its meal.
Nice background, great IQ, and nice comp.
Well done.

[Girish Prahalad]

beautiful image. pose, exposure, IQ & the open beak with the berry all sync very nicely

[gail bisson]

The repost is wonderful.
I love that perfect head turn and the nut in the mouth.
gail

[Bill Dix]

Thanks everyone. Sometimes it just pays to be lucky and find yourself in the right place at the right time.

[Satish Ranadive]

Bill Sir:
Excellent image. Love the pose,colors,very nice details,green backdrop and beautiful composition.Re pose is absolutely superb.

Regards,
Satish.

[Peter Dexter]

Really nice Bill. I like the original but the repost is nice too. Looks like an acorn in his beak.