This is from a set up in my yard using a feeder and hide
1dMKIII
300mm 2.8L IS USM + 2.0X TC II
Tripod
Wimberly II
Manual exposure
Evaluative metering
ISO 1600
1/400
f/5.6
Fill flash with 2 430EX II flashes on light stands to either side of the blind set to 1/8 output and triggered with pocket wizards.
Processed with ACR, CS5, Genuine fractals. Did some bill clean up due to a big piece of suet on the upper bill. Also removed a piece of the perch on the far right side.
I like the open beak. I wish the head was turned slightly towards the viewer. I do think the bird could stand a bit more sharpening. And there appears to be some cloning work at the top of the perch that could be cleaned up.
Agree with Doug, maybe instead of cleaning up the cloning, just crop in from the right and make it a tighter vertical. I very much like your perch! Open beak a nice plus, just get her to turn her head a bit for you.
Nice pose and agree iwth the others on a slight look your direction would have been nice. I like Graces' idea of tightening up the comp. Well done.
TFS
Todd
With all due respect to the others, I find the HA of the woodpecker satisfactory. I was going to criticize the big perch, but then I noticed that the tail of the woodpecker is pressing hard against the stump and the large, powerful talon is gripping tightly, just as would be the case in a forest.