Hairy Woodpecker

[Joel Eade]

First time in 2 years I was in position for this guy when he landed at my setup in the backyard! I don't know if they're the same everywhere but at my house these birds are very nervous and tend to vanish at the slightest motion or sound. They also usually fly straight to the feeder and avoid the setup perches so I was tickled to get a shot at this one even though it was only a few frames.

40D
300mm 2.8L IS USM
1.4 x TC
f/7.1
ISO 500
1/320 sec.
Metering : center weighted average
+1/3 EV

Usual photoshop techniques. Cloned out an oof tree trunk just above the bird's head.

[Ed Schneider]

Nice image, and subject. We see few hairies here in MidTN as well. I might crop some off the left side, maybe a third of the way to the snag. Some of the whites look hot in my monitior, I might have gone - 1/3 instead of plus on the UV.... but then again, I often go too dark! Thanks for sharing, Northerly neighbor:)

Ed

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Nice perch, eye contact and BG. Another vote for toning down the whites and I might put the bird a bit higher in the frame.

[Randy Stout]

Joel:

The hairies in Michigan are a bit more dodgy than our downies. Considerably less common.

Nice pose, and display of foot.

I do agree with Axel about the whites, and would consider a crop down of about 1/3 of the open space above the birds head.

Randy