Pretty Birds

Despite their best efforts (clambering on No Fishing signs, sweeping low across the water) I am not going to include the cormorants in tonight's post. The fame is going to their head and seeing a trio of them at the pond today is just not enough to impress me. Instead a few shots of two much smaller birds that were enjoying the unexpected sunshine.

First two images of a pied wagtail, which definitely warrants the description 'pretty'. They are also bold and will wander up to within a few feet of the camera.

Those were taken nice and close. Trickier by some distance was a female great spotted woodpecker. I 'spotted' her flying into one of the trees near the edge of the pond and eventually located her hiding among the branches. It looks like a fairly clear view in this photo, but believe me she was far from obvious and there was only about one angle which offered a view. Woodpeckers are notoriously shy.

She didn't stay there long. The next shots show her attempt at a quick getaway.

She didn't go far, but she had found a perch which provided a good deal more cover, but which is entirely typical of woodpeckers.

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Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.

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This Post Has 10 Comments

  2. Words

    31 Jan 2013

    We only have three species of woodpecker in the UK (and there are none in Ireland). You have much more variety in Canada.

  3. derWandersmann

    1 Feb 2013

    The wagtails are nice to see out in the open like that … on the other hand, woodpeckers certainly can be frustrating, especially if they see a camera.

  4. Wulpen

    2 Feb 2013

    A Great shot of the Woodpecker :up:

  5. SittingFox

    2 Feb 2013

    Darko, the woodpecker in your photo is a northern flicker. The nearest we have to that in the UK is the green woodpecker, which is similar in some habits. But yes, Canada has a great variety of woodpeckers – although I don't always find them easy to see.

    But it's good to find the great spotteds before the leaves grow back :up:

  6. Words

    3 Feb 2013

    dW, woodpeckers have an in-built camera detector, that I'm certain of. They seem to have two responses… flight away at a great speed is one. The other is even more frustrating: find a firm grip on the far side of a trunk/pole and peep out every now and then. Circle around at the exact speed of the photographer.

    Occasionally we outwit them, but only occasionally.

  7. Words

    3 Feb 2013

    Adele, yes once the leaves are back we don't stand a chance. One can only be very thankful that they have a fondness for dead trees!

  8. Words

    3 Feb 2013

    Erwin, thanks!

  9. ICU109

    13 Feb 2013

    what great woodpecker shots! and the last her peeking around the pole! We only have the downy variety here that I have seen a few times. I hear them, but can't find them where I live now. woodsy area behind my house has lots of frogs! and birds, but it is swampy and wet lots of the time and thick with underbrush, really can't get in there.

  10. Words

    13 Feb 2013

    Kathy heavy and damp undergrowth can be a bit of an obstacle. The ground here is saturated but not quite yet a swamp.

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