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Working hard.


Working hard.
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Ellstrom (ellis49) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3387 W: 343 N: 9480] (30807)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-05-30
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS10D, Sigma 100-300 /4 HSM, Digital RAW 400
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/200 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-01-02 6:12
Viewed: 1602
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
En. Great Spotted Woodpecker, Da. Stor Flagspætte, Du. Grote Bonte Specht, Fi. Käpytikka, Fr. Pic épeiche, Ge. Buntspecht, It. Picchio rosso maggiore, No. Flaggspett, Sp. Pico picapinos, Sw. Större hackspett.

This woodpecker was a hard working man. Look at his body especially the wings, they are blurred from the vibration when it pecks at the pear three, he even closed the eyes and he used the tail as a third leg.
I’m glad I caught this moment. I have a lot of pictures of woodpeckers but this is the only one when it pecks hard.
This is a very common bird in Sweden and most stays the winter.

I hope you like it.

From www.birdguid.com
/
Its trunk-clinging habits, characteristic shape and black and white plumage eliminate all other British birds except Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Apart from being much bigger, the Great Spotted is easily told by the big white patches on its shoulders, as well as the red under-tail coverts. Juveniles have red along the crown, the male has a red spot on the nape but the female has no red on her head at all. The white shoulder patches show up clearly in flight which is characteristically bounding. Separating them from other woodpeckers is harder but they are intermediate in size and structure between the White-backed and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers, both of which have streaked underparts. Additionally, Great Spotted has more black in the face than Middle Spotted and their big white shoulder splodge separates them from White-backed. However, they are almost identical to Syrian Woodpeckers except for the dark line which connects the black moustache to the nape; this is lacking in a Syrian Woodpecker.
Breeds and winters in deciduous and coniferous woodland.
A common bird throughout Britain, but scarce in the extreme north of Scotland and absent from the Isle of Man, Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland. A woodland species that also occurs in parks and gardens, often visiting bird tables. Small numbers of migrants of the Scandinavian race D.m.major occasionally turn up on the east coast.
The commonest woodpecker in most of Europe except perhaps in the south-east where the Syrian Woodpecker is abundant.
25 000-30 000 breeding pairs throughout much of England, Scotland and Wales. None recorded for Ireland. Allowing for recent population increases, the winter population can now be between 150 000-200 000 birds.
Probably more than three million pairs breed across most of Europe.
/
Technique:
Sigma 100-300/4 EX HSM @ 300 mm,
ISO 200 -1/3 Ev. Raw format
Convert, contrast and levels, resized to 800 pixels, USM save as JPG for the site.
I used Adobe Photoshop CS for PP
milloup, willie, Crypton, radz, rlortie, carper, Callie, Fisher, extramundi, marhowie, red45, Luc, sandpiper2, Janice, ingridshaul has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To ingridshaul: Woodpeckerellis49 1 10-25 02:41
To marhowie: Thanks Howardellis49 1 01-03 01:48
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Critiques [Translate]

The poor fellow looks as if he's still got a hangover from New Year, but given the fact that the photo was taken in May this cannot, of course, be the case ;-))
Great capture with excellent colours and the bird nicely set off from the bg. Especially his tail braced against the tree trunk for balance and his unsharp wingtips convey *how* hard he's working.

He's obviously regretting that he got married or something by banging his head against the trunk. LOL.
Very nice post Gert. just a tad soft and out of focus on the wingtips. Nonetheless If I had such a good shot, I'd be proud to post it. well done

j'adore vraiment les expression figées des oiseau que tu nous montre !
les yeux fermé donne encore plus l'impresion d'un travail dure.
les couleurs sont tres belles et la nettete correcte.
beau clichet ;)

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 616] (3404)
  • [2005-01-02 8:20]

Excellent shot.Love the color and pose.
Interesting note too.

Very good shot Gert. Yes! he seems to work hard, as you did to capture this unique picture. I like the vibration in the wings and the nice background.

  • Great 
  • carper Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2009 W: 122 N: 2581] (8424)
  • [2005-01-02 12:42]

WEll Gert,
Nice to see work of yours, the woodpecker is well taken, the sharpnes is exelent and the colours are nice. Pof and dof are good. It´s only a shame that he closed his eyes. very good job Gert.

Hi Gert

Well done. Very nice action shot of the Woodpecker. Great how he has closed his eyes while working. Is this to keep the woodchips out? I like the red/orange plumage colour.

  • Great 
  • japie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1814 W: 100 N: 1904] (5187)
  • [2005-01-02 14:54]

I wonder if it is only the male woodpecker that bashes his head against the trees :) This is a great shot and I like the setting. This is one shot I would have liked to take with Willie's camera/video camera.

Very well done and thanks for posting

  • Great 
  • Callie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1132 W: 105 N: 2609] (7531)
  • [2005-01-02 15:00]

Ouch, that must have hurt! Very good catch here, Gert! Woodpeckers are some of my favourite birds, and this one a real beauty! Good note too.

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2005-01-02 15:32]

He must be feeling it, his eyes are closed. Excelent shot Gert. This image is nicely composed and detailed.
Well done.

Mike

A very descriptive action picture you got here, Gert. The pose is wonderful, and the blured wings gives the movement to the shot. Good textures and colours too for this beautiful subject. Well done.

Gert, Looks like he's taking a power-nap! This is an excellent shot for its content alone. Happy New Year Gert! (I promise not to bug ya too often this year) :-)

He reallx seems to work hard, great capture.
Well done.
TFS.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-01-03 5:57]

In Polish Dzieciol. Great bird, great pose. Rarity on TN. Very good work Gert!

  • Great 
  • mumek Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 106 W: 0 N: 178] (847)
  • [2005-01-03 16:41]

Fantastic details, colors, sharpness and pose.
Very interesting note.

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2005-01-03 23:37]

Excellent shot of this Woodpecker. At first glance he looks like he's resting his head against the tree or fallen asleep. Amazing capture, so very well done Gert.

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3813 W: 190 N: 11346] (34981)
  • [2007-02-04 10:21]

Hej Gert!
Thanks for showing this one!
This is funny: looks like this hackspett is trying to push the tree over! You can also see the stiff tail really works as a support.
Fine sharp action shot.
TFS,
Hälsningar,
Ivan

Dear Gert,
Pocket Book of British Birds (Charles A Hall 1936): "...In winter the species is much given to wandering, and every autumn our local birds receive further additions from Scandinavia..."

Here - in South Africa (in our books) - the Woodpeckers are not pictured with red feathers at the vent,except the Olive Woodpecker (olive-green) and the Ground Woodpecker (with a red breast).

I mentioned on your photo of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Link
... that woodpeckers have a specially cushioned brain, to protect them against concussion from constantly hitting the wood..."

Your photo of the Great Spotted Woodpecker would be an excellent teaching tool for Students and Birdwatchers. Every important detail is prominent, and disproves "experts opinion" that Bird Book with drawings be better, because photos NEVER present the gist.
The sharp nails appear to be relatively long - compared with the overall dimensions - and I guess, they act like clamp-on, which people use to scale glaciers.
I also like the lichen on the tree (in our extremely dry climate non existent).
Last not least, the natural colours of your photo are a pleasure for the viewer.
Your photo is excellent in photographic technique, and I chose it as a favorite to enable me to look at it at leisure.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday,
Warm Regards
Ingrid

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