Daddy on Duty!

[Marina Scarr]

This is one of my favorite Pileated Woodpecker nests and images from 2013. The chicks here are about 2 weeks old. Their sex is yet indeterminable but turned out to be 2 girls and a boy. The work that these birds put into raising their young is just amazing, and you don't really understand until you spend hours and days with them. Love seeing all 3 chicks at the cavity calling for food. Daddy came in to check on them. All 3 successfully fledged and the tree fell a couple of months later. This was quite a high nest but it had a lot of elements which I found appealing.

Thanks in advance for thoughtful comments and critiques.

Happy Father's Day to all of you daddies out there!

Canon 1D4,Canon 500L & 1.4TC
F7.1, 1/1250sec, ISO 800, manual mode
Fill flash
Feisol tripod, Jobu head

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Marina, like the hungry beaks poking out and Father rearing back and appearing to be avoiding those sharp beaks.

Did you use an DE on this, but perhaps it's the fill-in flash, just thought there might be a bit more shadow in the hole?

TFS
Steve

[Holger Leyrer]

Very nice image. The interaction with daddy is great. The exposure control is perfect and shows all the details in the plumage. Well done, Marina.

[Grace Scalzo]

Difficult image to create, and yours is sweet. All three chicks, being fed is quite an accomplishment, for the father and you. :)

[John Robinson]

Excellent Marina Like the spanish moss too.
PS I had a great fathers day-fishing !!
John

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Marina, just love how dad is leaning back from the kids ( whoa kids - easy now ) all peering out hoping for some food. Dad is well exposed, and I like how the head stands out away from the tree trunk.

[christopher galeski]

nice family capture,are the young one's saying,Happy Father's Day

[gail bisson]

Love the interaction and the pose of the 3 babies.
Dad looks like he has been working hard ( dirty cheek and neck!)
I am the only one to notice this (so perhaps it is my monitor) but I see a yellow-orange cast in the image.
Gail

[Binu John]

Lovely shot! Excellent interaction, details, composition and exposure! Well done!

[arash_hazeghi]

what a sweet image Marina, love the juvis

[David Salem]

Very nice Marina. Love that all three babies are well seen and have their beaks open and ready for feeding. The dad looks great too with his alert pose and raised crest. Detail and exposure look right on.
Well done. Hope all is well out there!