Persistence pays off...
A pair of Pileated woodpeckers has inhabited the woods in our back yard for several years now. As someone who enjoys photographing birds I naturally endeavored to photograph the pair only to be thwarted at every attempt. With camera in hand I would set out after hearing the tell-tail sounds of their pecking only to be frustrated time and time again. I was always unable to get within 50 feet of the birds.
Pileated Woodpecker's head illuminated by sunlight in dark shadow
As if to taunt me, on several occasions while walking the dog they have landed within 20 feet of me ... once as close as 6 feet at eye-level. Of course in each of those instances the camera was indoors and not around my neck.
So imagine my surprise when walking the dog a couple weeks back I hear the Pileated woodpeckers and find them near the ground about 20 feet setback from my lawn and behind the scrub brush. I quickly returned the dog to the house and grabbed the camera. Expecting them to be gone, I was shocked to discover they were right where I left them.
Maneuvering slowly and quietly, I found one shooting window laying on the ground where I could see the bird pecking at a fallen tree (the other bird had retreated to the ground by this point). To my disappointment the wind was blowing and clouds were obscuring the light casting terrible shadows on the bird. Then in a moment, the wind blew and sunlight began illuminating the bird's head and I snapped away with the Canon 7D Mark II and the Canon EF 100-400 F/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens.
Success!
While not exactly what I was hoping for, I managed to capture a few in focus illuminated photos of the bird.
Post processed in Adobe Lightroom CC for exposure and color cast, the photos here represent my first up-close images of the Pileated Woodpecker I have been trying to photograph now for several years.
Thanks for stopping by today!
Pileated Woodpecker perched on a fallen tree
For full screen images, click below.
