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Missing: Pileated Woodpecker


Missing: Pileated Woodpecker
Photo Information
Copyright: Francine Malo (NinaM) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-18
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Leica V Lux1
Exposure: f/3.7, 1/125 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2008-03-18 9:33
Viewed: 588
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Strange title you might think and you are right. This is a strange post indeed. We took a walk on the lake and in the surrounding yesterday and believe it or not, this picture was taken far from my home and yet, even if it's not a look alike contest, it does look like one. This is a small chickadee in a cedar tree that we saw on our way back home. We also came accross a kestrel who flew away as soon as he heard us.

The nicest part of the walk was the meeting with the Pileated Woodpecker. We first heard the sound of the woodpecker foraging a tree and we knew that it wasn't a small one by the sound. They dig holes in the bark about 8 inches long. I have seen pictures of them on TN, among them one by Asbed who captured it at Boisé Papineau in Laval. I think the birds there are used to see humans because I will tell you, to get close a Pileated Woodpecker is a tough thing.

So we heard the sound and suddenly we saw it. As soon as we saw it, it flew away a little further and stood on an electrical pole. From there I could take a picture and Love and me walke by silently toward the beautiful bird. It is the bird with the most fantastic flight I think, it's the one that impresses me the most. It has a grace and a way to "surf" in the air, it's beautiful.

And there we are, getting closer... it doesn't take much to the bird and it flies away again. I took a picture of it and there I am. Look at the workshop, this could have been a great capture but it is blurred. Out of focus or I a made a move or both, but it is blurred and yet, I think the wings opened like that are sensational. I wanted to show it to you because the pattern in the wings are fantastic, the movement too even though it is a missed shot.

This graceful woodpecker has the flight of a majestic boat.

I rarely see those birds that close. I am beginning to understand that even though we see those birds in a village, which is filled with humans, the village is right in the middle of a forest and they are wild wild wild. Afraid of humans, which is a good thing but less good if you want to observe them or take pictures.

Yet, our little friends the Black-Capped Chickadee are faithful and spend their lives close to ours, remain friends and tamable. I wish you enjoy my post even though it looks like the one yesterday... and maybe of tomorrow, who knows!

Francine
ISO 200
Cropped and resized for TN
Curves adjusted + vibrance in Lightroom
Argus, nglen, goldyrs, fightingillini, Adanac, eqshannon, CeltickRanger, ramthakur, JPlumb, claudine, Heaven, jaycee, warnzy has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jignasi: NieveNinaM 1 03-22 17:09
To JPlumb: WorkshopNinaM 1 03-22 10:46
To warnzy: Plenty ChickadeesNinaM 1 03-22 10:38
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Critiques [Translate]

Bonjour Francine,
Very fine pose of the Chickadee which captured well in good sharpness, beautiful colour and details in the shot
a good shot indeed
merci
Tony

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2770 W: 151 N: 7984] (24857)
  • [2008-03-18 10:31]

Ha-ha, I like the title!
This is also a fine capture of a Black-capped Chickadee in a Woodpecker position on the tree stem. Nice POV, sharpness, lighting and composition. Your Leica compact seems to serve you well Francine!
Thanks for sharing this fine image,
Ivan

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2130 W: 9 N: 5960] (22528)
  • [2008-03-18 10:53]

Hi francine. Once again a good close up of the Chickadee. good detail and colours. a nice pose showing the side view. well done TFS. good notes too.

Nick..

  • Great 
  • demeve Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 515 W: 8 N: 1135] (4182)
  • [2008-03-18 11:32]

Hello Francine,
Very nice story, I'm sorry, but our eyes are the best lenses
and I'm pretty sure you have that perfect photography in your mind, very beautiful Chickadee.. Well done

Everton

Yet another beautiful shot.This does not look like any woodpecker I've seen , Francine!
Again,
very well done!
Thank you!
regards,
Goldy

Really cool story-It really adds a lot to the picture. Thanks for sharing.

-Bill

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
  • [2008-03-18 14:08]

Hello Francine,
Your images are a source of pleasure for you Francine and it shows. This chickadee is wonderful and very pleasing to observe. The woodpecker although out focus, we easily get a good idea of the powerful wings he has, thanks my friend.
Rick

The colours are very true to the image and so well saturated as to make this simple bird into a regal being Very well done as an image Francine! Somehow I must have passed this by this AM...I cannot imagine how I missed it! Very nice!
Bob

bonjour Francine

j'ai bien aimé ton titre et lire tes notes, je suis bien d'accord avec toi
les oiseaux du Boisé Papineau pour avoir vu des photographes
par centaine ils doivent être habitués par ses étrange spersonnages
qui sommes nous les photographes, mais la dernière photo
du grand pic il fut très très collaborateur, j'étais surpris,
pour ce qui est du crécerelle d'Amérique, alors-là j'ai rarement
vu un oiseau aussi craintif, une fois j'ai réussi une photo et j'étais
obligé de le faire de très loin, au Parc des Prairies à Laval
où je t'invite ce printemps à venir photographier les canards branchu

venons à ta belle photo du mésange avec sa jolie pose,
excellente luminosité de l'image, excellent POV et j'aimes le cadrage
en vertical, excellent DOF et beaux détails du plumage, TFS

Asbed

Very vibrant capture of this cute little Chickadee, Francine.
It was a wonderful opportunity to shoot the bird in this unusual pose which you availed of well.
Thanks for sharing it and regards.
Ram

Hi Francine, I had a good laugh when I read your story about the woodpecker. These Pileated Woodpeckers have led me on a few chases too. They only let you get so close... then they fly away, but not right away, just far enough to entice you into another chase. Under the circumstances I think you got a great shot of him.

As a substitute, this shot of the chickadee is well composed on the angled branch and he is in good sharp detail. Lighting seems good, but the colour seems to be a little on the blue side too. I played a bit in the sandbox to see if I could come up with another option for you.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1068 W: 26 N: 3206] (11487)
  • [2008-03-19 3:42]

Hi Nina,
it was nice to read your description of your walk, it sounds like a great place to explore. This is a great shot of a Chickadee, very nice composition with good DOF and some fine detail, well done!
Paul

Salut Francine,
Ils sont très rares les grands pics et ça dû être un moment impressionnant en effet! J'aime bien cette composition diagonale avec cette petite mésange. Les détails et l'exposition sont beaux avec un petit reflet dans son oeil :) Merci!
Claudine

  • Great 
  • sray Silver Star Critiquer [C: 24 W: 0 N: 0] (242)
  • [2008-03-19 5:22]

Bonjour Francine
belle prise avec beaucoup de détails . Et merci pour l'histoire qui l'accompagne .
TFS
Serge

Coucou Francine!

On jour tu l'auras, je suis certain. Et si tu prends ton matériel avec toi à chaque sortie en forêt, tu augmenteras tes chances. En attendant nous nous contentons très volontiers avec cette mésange si admirablemnet mise en scène par une superbe composition. Je souscris également au Workshop, même si je n'aurais pas corrigé de manière aussi prononcée.

Amitiés

Markus

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1911 W: 8 N: 4976] (16095)
  • [2008-03-19 7:44]

Hi Francine,

A wonderful story and a beautiful Chickadee. I bet you get another chance at that woodpecker! This little bird is posing nicely for you. Beautiful colors and nice details. I like the composition with the diagonal tree.

Jane

Hi Francine,

Nice shot of this Chickadee with a lovely pose and an interesting backdrop. Not easy to get these little birds, but you seem to manage it week-in week-out. I don't know how you do it.

Mike

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1427 W: 128 N: 5252] (23221)
  • [2008-03-20 15:41]

Bravo Francine pour cette jolie Mésange, tu as fait de bien belles rencontres dans cette randonnée. Beau travail, merci!

Mario

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-03-21 21:53]

Hello Francine

A beautiful capture of this cute little chickadee.
I know full well the feeling of missing the Pileated Woodpecker,it has happened to me many times.
This is a lovely shot of this cute chickadee however.
Excellent POV and DOF.
TFS

Rob

Supongo que la nieve va desapareciendo ya que veo que tu galería se puebla cada vez de más colores.
Preciosa pose del ave y unos buenos colores y texturas en tu toma.
Un abrazo: J. Ignasi

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