This was going to be a tale of woe about how last night I came face to face with a badger in the garden and yet again failed to record the moment with the camera (I was too close!). It will include some kestrel footage, and a hint of fox, but mainly it's about that most awkward of feathered subjects, the greater spotted woodpecker.
The sequence that follows is a small sample of some shots I took this afternoon while taking a break in the fields just at the back of the campus where I work. I could hear them (the noise was distinct), but it took some scouting around before I finally saw what I was looking for.
Male greater spotted woodpecker
That was success in itself, but there was a second call, so I kept looking until I finally spotted this.
Greater spotted woodpecker chick
I waited for the inevitable…
And then the male returns with yet more food
There are a few more shots in my Greater Spotted Woodpecker album, which if I get time I'll add to over the next few days.
Heading back from there a flash of red in a distant field caught my eye. I was aware that there were more foxes in the vicinity, but I hadn't seen them before. This shot is a heavy crop taken from several hundred yards away. 
Fox in a hurry!
I'll close tonight with some recent footage and photos of the local kestrels.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.
annoushkiss
8 Jun 2009Such a lovely Woody family series 🙂 I was also a success in taking several pictures of a woodpecker last month.
cakkleberrylane
8 Jun 2009What an awesome series! Very enjoyable!
Ukwildlife
8 Jun 2009Wow fantastic series of shots. I just remembered I saw a woodpecker nest a couple of weekends ago. It was only a couple off metres the ground too. Didn't have k20d then though, plus the light was going too. Could hear the chick inside though.
Words
8 Jun 2009Adele, I probably won't have a chance to head up there until Friday at the earliest (unless I go first thing in the morning). It's a fair trek, but certainly worth it. The music is another YouTube "selection-by-time" affair, but it seemed to suit a kestrel.
SittingFox
8 Jun 2009Great photos! Lovely to see the fledgling with its bright red cap. I'm guessing that you'll probably be heading back there soon 😉
I like the music on the video 😀
Words
8 Jun 2009Neil, once I'd located the chick the rest was just a sit and wait process. The adults were back and forth more or less constantly (longest gap maybe 5 minutes or so). The light was good too, and no branches or leaves to get in the way. Near perfect conditions.
Words
8 Jun 2009Anna, thanks. This was a great opportunity, quite unlike any encounters I've had in the past.
Words
8 Jun 2009Lois, thanks! It was a great 'find'. I think we have two pairs in the vicinity. The others are in dense woodland and almost impossible to photograph (too many branches) so this was a joy. 🙂
anonymous
9 Jun 2009Jack writes:
just want to say im a 21 year old lad visit your site at least once a week and its absolutly fantastic. I really like your kesteral shots and the woodpekers are great. I have been into photography for about two years and your photos are always intresting and its great to see all the differnt places you visit and things you see!
Words
9 Jun 2009Jack, thanks for commenting. The kestrels are always great to watch and I'm lucky that I can more or less guarantee seeing them whenever I go to that site. The woodpeckers are much less common to see. I often hear the larger green woodpeckers, but photographing any of them is another matter. Very shy birds.