It was deeply overcast today, the kind of day when I usually leave the long lens at home. For some reason though I decided to take it with me to work. And for once, I had the right lens at the right time.
I'd gone out at lunchtime, not really expecting to see too much. Maybe some squirrels, crows of course, but not this.
Green Woodpecker
It was in an open patch of ground, with plenty of people on the nearby path (none of whom noticed what was just 10s of yards away from them). In order to get the shots I cranked the ISO up, set the aperture to 5.6 and underexposed by a mile. It's the only way to get a fast enough shutter speed.
I'd love to have got closer in (those are quite hefty crops), but the green woodpecker is a notoriously shy bird, and sure enough it took to the wing as I edged closer. It didn't go far, just over to some trees about 100 yards away where I was able to get close enough for just a few more shots.
Doing what it does best
A real treat, and all the more so for being entirely unexpected.
This evening in the garden it was the usual varied assortment of creatures, including an adult newt and frog which are both in the Amphibians album, and a woodmouse (more shots in the Wood Mouse Files).
Wood mouse eating a peanut
The fox was back again, and I managed a close-up of his injured foot. It still doesn't tell me very much, and he's still carrying it most of the time. So no better, but thankfully no worse so far as I can tell.
Camera note: Woodpecker shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, the wood mosue with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro, and the fox with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM.
sanshan
13 Oct 2007Wow, I've never seen a woodpecker like that before. Very cool.
Flying Red Fox Blog
13 Oct 2007Nice Woodpecker, one of the shots shows how long his beak really is:) Lets hope i dont get one landing on my head hehe:P
The mouse will start hibernating soon, or if the weather is cold enough.
I dont see any discharge for the Foxes paw so hopefully its just a bruise and the pain will drop and he will put his paw down again soon.
Words
13 Oct 2007San, I see them occasionally, but usually they fly off into thick woods so it's really difficult to get more than a glimpse. Even more tricky is the great spotted woodpecker, which is just as shy but about half the size!
Words
13 Oct 2007Mark, that beak looks lethal doesn't it.
I just googled wood mice and it seems they don't hibernate, but they do gather together in winter for warmth. They must have a nest somewhere round here, possibly in the tree itself. It provides good cover for them. And there's plenty of thick shrubs they could get into.
I'm pleased that the fox is using the paw sometimes, so whatever the problem is I would imagine it will ease up. They seem as prone to injury as England strikers, but more like John Terry in how they deal with them 🙂
SittingFox
13 Oct 2007Very cool woodpecker shots! She's got a very keen expression. I heard one this morning but photo opportunities really are few and far between for them; very glad you did take your big lens with you! 🙂
It certainly looks like the fox has a foreign body of some sort wedged in the paw. He may yet get it out. Last year, Kelly started walking awkwardly and I thought it was the onset of arthritis, given her age. But then, a couple of days later, she sat down and pulled a beech nut out of her paw! :eyes: