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Hairy Woodpecker
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Hairy Woodpecker

by Wayne Jones

Gallery: AvianPosted March 23, 2015113 views4 comments
Female eastern Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

Thanks for your comments on my previous posts of my local woodpeckers (Downy), and the molting goldfinch on the first day of spring. I'd like to post another woodpecker shot before moving on to something different.

Canon 7D Mark II; Sigma 150 mm. f/2.8 Macro + 1.4 TX
1/125 sec. @ f/7.1; ISO 1250
(shot using an Acratech GP ballhead in "gimbal" mode)

ALL comments and suggestions welcome!

ADDITIONAL NOTE: I see that a couple of commenters called this a Downy Woodpecker. Because of that, I added a new first line to the text above. Even though all of the characteristics distinguishing this species are not clearly apparent in this photograph, there is absolutely no doubt that it is a Hairy Woodpecker, based on my other photos and the very noticeable size difference between this and the smaller Downy Woodpeckers I saw at this site on the same day. You can see the differences in bill size, outer white tail feathers (with black marks only in the Downy) and the length of the "comma-shaped" black streak between the shoulder and neck, by comparing this bird with the Downy Woodpecker photographed at the same site.

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by Hans Overduin on March 24, 2015 at 3:47 AM
Nice species, in a classical woodpecker pose. The texture of the treebark is as interesting :wink: . The tree in the BG is spoiling the fun a little, but not more than that. Cheers, Hans
Registered on August 31, 2011, 491 Posts, 3807 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on March 24, 2015 at 9:38 AM
Having spent quit a bit of time trying to photograph these little ones (last century.. :biggrin:) , I know how close you have to be to get a full frame shot here, Wayne. This is a fine look at this young lady. I assume you know that you can ID Downy individuals by the black, white, and red pattern on the backs of their heads. My only nit here is the bright spot upper left edge, seems like you can burn that in (plus might need a modest de-blueing after the burn).
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Steve Thompson on March 24, 2015 at 2:18 PM
Nice catch of the Hairy WP Wayne. Great sharpness to the image. I agree about the bright spot in the upper left, if you could bring that exposure down a little it would help.
Registered on August 7, 2014, 125 Posts, 2319 Comments
Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 24, 2015 at 9:44 PM
Very nice, Wayne. I was a bit ambivalent about the bg tree to start with, but I like the way it curves almost in parallel with the Downy's back. I might try taming down that bright white spot in the upper left-it does pull my eye a bit.

:toast:
Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments