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Female Sapsucker


Female Sapsucker
Photo Information
Copyright: David Robert (Dave) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 525 W: 47 N: 674] (2173)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-01-24
Categories: Birds
Camera: NikonD200, AF VR-Nikkor 80-400mm ED
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/250 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes (Fill) Flash: Yes
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2007-01-24 22:06
Viewed: 1063
Points: 23
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius, is a medium-sized woodpecker.

Adults are black on the back and wings with white bars; they have a black head with white lines down the side and a red forehead and crown, a yellow breast and upper belly, a white lower belly and rump and a black tail with a white central bar. Adult males have a red throat; females have a white throat.

Their breeding habitat is forested areas across Canada, eastern Alaska and the northeastern United States. They prefer young, mainly deciduous forests. There is also a disjunct population found in high elevations of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. They nest in a large cavity excavated in a deciduous tree, often choosing one weakened by disease; the same site may be used for several years. Usually, these birds will mate with the same partner from year to year, as long as both birds survive. They sometimes hybridize with Red-naped Sapsuckers or Red-breasted Sapsuckers where their breeding ranges overlap.

These birds migrate to the southeastern United States, West Indies and Central America, leaving their summer range. This species has occurred as a very rare vagrant to Ireland and Great Britain.

Like other sapsuckers, these birds drill holes in trees and eat the sap and insects drawn to it. They may also pick insects from tree trunks or catch them in flight. They also eat fruit and berries.

They drum and give a cat-like call in spring to declare ownership on territory.

Apparently because the name sounds amusing, yellow-bellied sapsucker is sometimes used as a comic, generic term for an unusual animal.
Info from wikipedia

It seems the little female has become quite a regular. I've not seen a male around yet.
yllen, Adanac, marhowie, radz, gelor, pilonm, dew77, jeanpaul, livios, soccer has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • yllen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 248 W: 0 N: 16] (623)
  • [2007-01-24 22:10]

Hola Davis:
Es un ave muy hermosa. Parece que hubiera metido la cabeza dentro de una lata de pintura roja. Tal vez un poco menos de aumento le hubiuese dado un foco màs adecuado para destacar con mayor nitidez el plumaje.
Nelly

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2007-01-24 22:17]

Hello Dave
Fine portrait of this sapsucker with good detail, great color and nice point of view, thanks for sharing. Hope this finds you well.
Rick

Nice to see a post from you again Dave..
Good detail and interesting color seen in your close-crop portrait of this pecker :)
How have you been lately?
Howard

  • Great 
  • radz Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 603 W: 11 N: 616] (3404)
  • [2007-01-24 23:54]

Nice portrait wht a colours!!though I find little soft may be you did wideopen.Nice eye contract!!!

interesting composition but focus is bad and colors seem to me to be off a bit. i've heard about this bird, usually as a joke in some show, but this is the first time i've seen one. there seems to be a halo around the head, post processing artifact? see my workshop for a few sugestions.

  • Great 
  • gelor Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 126 W: 3 N: 12] (523)
  • [2007-01-25 4:47]

Bonjour Davis,
Beau portrait pour cet oiseau bien joli avec ces teintes exceptionnelles. Bien fait !
Gérard

Hello David,

It is a good try to have a portrait of this woodpecker... But the picture looks very soft (a little bit out of focus?) and I see a halo around the head of the bird... Colors looks very natural and you took a great pov! I like also the little spark in the eye of the bird!

TFS,

Michel

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2007-01-25 12:13]

Hello Dave,
Very nice capture.I liked clear eyes,expression on face,BG and composition a lot.
TFS..:-)

Salut David
Superbe photo les couleurs sont très belles surtout le rouge de la tête de cet oiseau qui est superbe
Bravo et au revoir... Jean-Paul

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2007-01-29 14:50]

David, excellent composition on this one.

I like pose too, as well as your note.

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1381 W: 126 N: 5246] (23469)
  • [2007-10-22 15:34]

Hello Dave ! Great shot of the Sapsucker ! Very nice portrait, sharp and well exposed. Great light in its eye ! Well done !

Mario

Dave,

Good POV, BG and although the composition is tight, I like that as it displays the subject far better!
TFS,
Sheriff

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