feather study

[John Chardine]

I'll let you guess what the species is! Image made at feeding station, Sackville, New Brunswick. The bird would not look at me and anyway I was dazzled by the incredible plumage on its back.

I cropped for symmetry, removed a few small specks to clean up, and sharpened.

Comments welcome!

Canon EOS 50D, 500/4
capture date: Sunday, 25 January, 2009 1:38 PM
exposure program: Aperture Priority
ISO speed: 400
shutter speed: 1/800
aperture: f4.0
exposure bias: -0.3
metering: Pattern
flash: ON, E-TTL, -1 2/3, beamer

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Didn't say which lens John. Beautiful colours and details in this, and I have no idea what kind of bird this is.

[Julie Kenward]

The pattern reminds me of a woodpecker here in the midwest but the colors of the feathers are all wrong so you've stumped me as well! Love the pattern and the different textures of the feathers. Would also suggest that next time you take a second shot with the feathers more on a diagonal for even more interest!

[John Chardine]

Didn't say which lens John. Beautiful colours and details in this, and I have no idea what kind of bird this is.

Sorry Jackie, it's in code: 500/4 is the Canon 500 mm f4 L IS

[Fabs Forns]

I love the detail, John. If this was the whole bird, I'd say they are over-sharpened, but as an abstract, it looks terrific.

[Dave Leroy]

Very nice John. Even with 500mm you must have been quite close. Great details. My guess is a flicker. Dave

[Marina Scarr]

Love the gentleness of this photo. Think I may SAT just a little more. My guess is a flicker as well.

[Gina Hallgren]

This is from my Gilded Flicker . . .

Looks like Dave & Marina are right :)

Gina

[John Chardine]

Thanks for all the good commentary. Flicker is correct. Well done. In this case a Northern Flicker aka Yellow-shafted Flicker.

I found one dead in the bottom of my chimney the other day, but that's another story.