As it happens often with these guys, you do not see them until they flush from the tall grasses. At least four of them did just so, except this one that seemed content to give me some photo opportunities - and by shifting over to some shorter grasses no less! As you can see from the bill they were probing for ants...
Canon 7D + 500mm f/4 II + 1.34TC, manual exposure, evaluative metering, 1/250s., f/5.6, ISO 800, natural light, handheld, FF, I got lucky with no obstructing grasses to remove (but I am contemplating the tallest thin one in front of the subject). Usual eye work of darkening pupil and lightening iris, very dull day so the saturation pumped up, and the blacks needed lots of darkening (done via burn tool).
This image works well, Daniel, b/c it depicts what these birds are known for...being on the ground digging for ants, unlike other woodpeckers. We were very upset to learn that one of our favorite parks here in Florida started spaying pesticides in the grass and now most of our flickers in the area have "flown the coop." You would think parks would be better informed. The green and delicate grasses around the WP work well!
Gorgeous detail and soft pastel colors! The OOF grasses make a beautiful frame -- the blade of grass doesn't bother me -- it fits in well and isn't obtrusive.
Beautiful low angle shot, excellent head turn.
I like to see this bird on the ground as it spends most of its time there.
I still remember seeing one foraging on the ground first time in my life and got very excited about the beauty of it.
Northern Flicker.
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