[Leica] woodpeckers

[Douglas Herr]

In August I set out on a quest to find the Pileated Woodpecker, since my photos of the bird up to that point were not my best work. Visiting a location known to be a good bet for the species, I spent the first two days on the trails where I was told it was most likely to be seen, without any results other than a tantalizing few calls and a couple of flashes of the bird flying through the treetops. According to my phone I had hiked 15 miles in search of the bird, meanwhile carrying a much-too-big camera in hopes of putting certain pixels resembling the woodpecker onto my camera's memory card.On the evening of the second day I camped near a promising puddle at the edge of a meadow which I suspected would yield good passerine activity the next morning (I was not disappointed). While preparing to light the camp stove I heard the unmistakable pounding of a powerful bill on tree stump. Shoving dinner in the bear box, grabbing camera, I found the bird about 100' from the campsite and followed for about a half-hour as the light faded, while the bird ignored me foraging for its own dinner.  A most excellent adventure.

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil01.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil02.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil03.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil04.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil05.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil06.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil07.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil08.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil09.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil10.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil11.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil12.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil13.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil14.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil15.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryocopus/pileatus/drypil16.html

With this set of photos I now have good photos of all woodpeckers normally found in Northern California, plus a couple of extras

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/melanerpes/lewis/mellew07.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/melanerpes/formicivorus/melfor40.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryobates/nuttallii/drynut10.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryobates/pubescens/drypub02.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryobates/villosus/dryvil03.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/dryobates/albolarvatus/dryalb10.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/picoides/arcticus/picarc04.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/thyroideus/sphthy15.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/thyroideus/sphthy21.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/varius/sphvar03.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/nuchalis/sphnuc01.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/nuchalis_x_ruber/sphnur33.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/sphyrapicus/ruber/sphrub08.html

http://www.wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/colaptes/auratus/colaut22.html

as usual, all comments are welcome and please feel free to share with anyone who may be interested.

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
http://www.wildlightphoto.com