Two from the bucket list... Swallow-tailed Kite and Pileated Woodpecker

[jprzybyla]

I have been trying to get acceptable photographs of these two birds for some time. It just didn't happen, either too far away or in deep shadows etc.. Well that changed. The Swallow-tailed Kite I captured flying over the golf course in my backyard. The Pileated Woodpecker I captured Monday morning, there were three of them flitting around opening up logs and eating ants. C&C welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for viewing.

Swallow-tailed Kite

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Pileated Woodpecker

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[Dave Humphries]

I can't believe how close you appear to be to the woodpeckers Joe,

Amazing shots that really show a bird's "dinosaur" origins.

The Kites are beautiful too.

[Otavio]

Very nice series, Joe. The woody is very sharp and detailed. Nicely processed, as usual!

[jprzybyla]

I can't believe how close you appear to be to the woodpeckers Joe,

Amazing shots that really show a bird's "dinosaur" origins.

The Kites are beautiful too.

Hello Dave, the woodpeckers were very special. Normally very elusive this day there was three of them allowing us to get close. The first image on the upright tree trunk maybe 30 to 40 feet away, for the second and third images even closer 15 feet away. In images two and three the dead log was on the ground just to the side of the path. The woodpecker was hammering the log and eating the ants as they would come out of the log. It was so engrossed in that it was possible to approach slowly. Thank you for viewing and commenting.

[jprzybyla]

Very nice series, Joe. The woody is very sharp and detailed. Nicely processed, as usual!

Hello my friend, thank you for viewing and commenting. I very much appreciate it.

[RogerCook]

Wow I've never seen the Kites before they're beautiful and the woodpecker looks like it's the one they modeled the cartoon Woody the Woodpecker after.

[Bobobird]

What beauties you have there. Excellent shots as usual.

I have got close to woodies but never a pileated. You are one lucky guy.

[jprzybyla]

Wow I've never seen the Kites before they're beautiful and the woodpecker looks like it's the one they modeled the cartoon Woody the Woodpecker after.

Thanks Roger for viewing and commenting. Your comments are spot on regarding the beauty of the Kite and that the cartoon character look like that woodpecker.

[jprzybyla]

What beauties you have there. Excellent shots as usual.

I have got close to woodies but never a pileated. You are one lucky guy.

Thanks Bobo, whenever I look at those images I will remember the day.

[mammarazzi]

Stunning images Joe, the woodpecker shots I would expect to see on National Geographic....
Joanne x