Downy Woodpecker

[JOAT]

Here's a couple of a downy woodpecker (I think? i know the hairywoodpeckers have longer beaks...i could be wrong ) from my outing yesterday.

 

[Chiller]

Holy cow JOAT..Brilliant shots man.

 

[immski]

Wonderful! I prefer the second, however.

 

[bantor]

Very nice, I to like the second one a little better. Very crisp.

 

[JOAT]

thanx guys...would've been better if the tail wasn't cutoff though

 

[AIRIC]

Great shots. They are so fun to shoot.

Eric

 

[Canoncan]

Great work ,they indeed are Downys.

 

[Raymond J Barlow]

both shots look great!

 

[JOAT]

appreciate the kind words everyone, but to be honest i want the big birds!

 

[wls3]

JOAT,
Great stuff, #2 my favorite!

 

[Polygon]

Amazing shots, I love them.

How do you manage to get that close to them? Most times they fly away long before I get close enough to get a good shot (given that I see birds around here anyway which doesn't happen too often). Any hints for that? I already try to be quiet but for gods sake I'm not a cat who sneaks for a living ;-). And taking a shot from 100m or more away just doesn't do the trick.

 

[JOAT]

Polygon,

These two images are cropped quite a bit, probably 50-60% but I'm still able to get good prints at 8x10. I was probably within 10 feet of this woodpecker at the time...it was good timing and patience. The place where i was has a bird feeding trail so alot of the birds are used to people, especially the chickadees and the nuthatches.

Anyway i picked a spot close enough to get a decent shot(with my 100-400mm) and stood there for about 30 minutes. Within that time came black cap chickadees, nuthatches, a bluejay and this downy.

So far from my birding hikes, the best advice i can give is to be still and wait...and hope for the best.