Great Spotted Woodpecker - Male

[John 2]

Never before seen in our garden (or since) but stayed around long enough for me to dash upstairs for my camera and a long lens. Very dull conditioned forced use of ISO 3200.

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[Shadowman]

Nice set.

[Rita]

Nice images of a beautiful bird.

[Tringa]

Two excellent shots there, John.

GSWs are very wary birds so you have done well to get any shot. In our garden they are are occasional visitors but I can never get anywhere close to the back door before I'm spotted and the bird is gone.

Dave

BTW I'm pretty sure it is a female. Adult males have a red patch on the nape of the neck that I can't see in your shots.

[John 2]

Thanks John, thanks Rita, thanks Dave. Dave you are quite right. I misread the symbols in my RSPB Pocket Book.

[Geoff F]

Good really natural looking compositions. Black and white birds can be difficult to expose perfectly but these have worked well.

[John 2]

Thank you Geoff.

[Jim A]

Beautiful, John, and great shots! I hope it comes back again for you, they are such a joy.

[John 2]

Thanks Jim.

[FootLoose]

Nice work, John. I like the first with the bird checking you out. It looks like a character portrait to me.

[John 2]

Nice work, John. I like the first with the bird checking you out. It looks like a character portrait to me.

It's amazing Greg. I was inside shooting through glass with a 400mm plus 1.4 and she still spotted me. However if you stand stock still, eventually the threat subsides and they get on with what they are about.

[davidedric]

Yes, well done John. I occasionally see one on our feeders, but I've never tried for an image - party because I think pictures of birds on feeders are meh.

Dave

[selig1656]

As stated simply well done, a strong series.

[John 2]

Thanks Dave, thanks Raymond.

Dave, strangely it ignored the feeder that is just out of shot top left and concentrated on picking out the bugs in the bark.

[Dave Humphries]

~ strangely it ignored the feeder that is just out of shot top left and concentrated on picking out the bugs in the bark.

It wasn't a vegetarian then

Good shots John, I have rarely got any of these for similar reasons.

'peckers in general are frustrating birds, you might hear them in the forest in spring, when drumming, but rarely can you see them when out and about.

Would you like me to edit the thread title?
e.g. to "Great Spotted Woodpecker - Female"

Cheers,
Dave

[John 2]

.............................Would you like me to edit the thread title?
e.g. to "Great Spotted Woodpecker - Female"

Cheers,
Dave

Yes please Dave.

Thanks for the comments as well.