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.
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.