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Gila Woodpecker
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Gila Woodpecker

by Richard Ditch

Gallery: AvianPosted June 7, 20071,937 views21 comments
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis)

Place: Gilbert Water Ranch, AZ, USA
Date: June 6, 2007
Equipment: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF-S 300/2.8 & TC20E (2x), tripod
Exposure: ISO 200, Aperture priority matrix metered, 1/160th @ f/8, 0.3 ev comp
Raw, PS CS2 on Mac G4, about 90% of frame

It was a cloudy bright day in Phoenix, when this woodpecker landed 25 feet away and started feeding in this inverted position. I'd had the exposure compensation on the plus side for doves against the bright sky and didn't even think to correct it when the woodpecker appeared. I dropped the exposure about half a stop in the raw conversion.

As always: honest critiques requested; all comments appreciated.

Comments

21 comments
Comment posted by Charlie VanTassel on June 7, 2007 at 10:39 PM
Well, this is about the coolest shot I've seen you post :cool: I like everything here. :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2006, 644 Posts, 4801 Comments
Comment posted by Terry Sohl on June 7, 2007 at 11:54 PM
Agreed...this is one of your best!! :toast: :toast:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 513 Posts, 6889 Comments
Comment posted by Jim DeWitt on June 8, 2007 at 12:45 AM
Richard, you get some terrific photos at Gilbert. This might be your best. The behavior and intensity of the bird is just superb. Technical excellence is hard enough, but getting a shot that tells a story like this is just amazing.
:toast: :toast: :toast:
Registered on August 28, 2006, 1240 Posts, 8506 Comments
Comment posted by Byron Wong on June 8, 2007 at 2:20 AM
Excellent! Now that's a great pose. Great setting too. Lots of detail in the subject too. :toast:
Registered on November 25, 2006, 62 Posts, 1510 Comments
Comment posted by David Kjaer on June 8, 2007 at 3:36 AM
What a :cool: setting - I love it!

David :toast: :toast:
Registered on January 4, 2006, 128 Posts, 4170 Comments
Comment posted by Simon Bennett on June 8, 2007 at 4:37 AM
Excellent image Richard, I especially like the cool bird, interesting pose and the cactus as well.
Registered on February 4, 2007, 350 Posts, 4614 Comments
Comment posted by chris hajee on June 8, 2007 at 5:04 AM
well done Richard, very unusual pose :toast:
Registered on January 18, 2005, 179 Posts, 2384 Comments
Comment posted by Ron Dudley on June 8, 2007 at 8:49 AM
Richard, I love this - so unusual and well done. In particular, I'm drawn to the feet and their dexterity.
Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments
Comment posted by Lee Daniels on June 8, 2007 at 9:48 AM
Always amusing to see them like this and this is a fine photograph of this behaviour. The open fruit really punctuates the composition and makes this shot for me. Love the diagonal between her bill and the opening as well as the triangle of 2 fruits and bird. Terrific!
Registered on December 31, 2003, 115 Posts, 1657 Comments
Comment posted by Richard & Gail Buq on June 8, 2007 at 9:55 AM
It's the pose and the background elements that make this shot for me. Very Nice Richard! :toast:

Richard Buquoi
Georgetown, TX
Registered on December 18, 2005, 151 Posts, 811 Comments
Comment posted by Alice Scoggins on June 8, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Gosh at first I thought you forgot to rotate the image! :biggrin: I love the perspective. :toast:
Registered on February 21, 2005, 430 Posts, 5959 Comments
Comment posted by Neil Losin on June 8, 2007 at 11:02 AM
Hi Richard,

Love it :) GREAT behavioral capture!
Registered on September 16, 2005, 145 Posts, 3524 Comments
Comment posted by Sam Rua on June 8, 2007 at 3:02 PM
Very well executed and a nice capture.
:toast:
Registered on September 9, 2006, 130 Posts, 2281 Comments
Comment posted by richard ettlinger on June 8, 2007 at 4:25 PM
Super Image!!! :toast: :toast: :cool: :cool: :smile:
Registered on June 17, 2004, 377 Posts, 1565 Comments
Comment posted by Nate Chappell on June 9, 2007 at 12:33 AM
I like it a lot Richard, great pose and habitat :toast:
Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments
Comment posted by Donna Bingham on June 9, 2007 at 6:15 AM
Nice one Richard for all reasons already stated. :toast:
Registered on May 11, 2007, 79 Posts, 405 Comments
Comment posted by Dan Walters on June 10, 2007 at 8:04 PM
Very nice shot. Very unique image! :toast:
Registered on October 30, 2005, 405 Posts, 3693 Comments
Comment posted by Hans Spiecker on June 11, 2007 at 11:09 PM
I have had them hang like this on a hummer feeder but this is much more interesting! I agree, this is one of your best! As always, techs are right on too. Congrats on the well deserved EP! :smile:
Registered on March 23, 2006, 366 Posts, 4649 Comments
Comment posted by Carol Hyman on June 12, 2007 at 2:47 PM
Richard, This is a perfect bird--composition, coloring, DoF--all.

Nice work.

Carol
Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments
Comment posted by David Sparks on September 8, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Wow! Wonderful shot. I love it!
David Sparks
Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on April 22, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Wonderful image Richard, great job on the exposure correction in raw :toast:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments