Natures turn…….
This is a Red-headed Woodpecker recently taken in Huntsville, Texas. I was looking out the kitchen window and noticed some frequent visits from a couple of these beautiful birds. Their colors are vibrant and stand out. Hard to pass up an opportunity for a few captures. After setting up it didn’t take long before they came back for a visit. There were other birds in the mix but these were the stand outs that I had been wanting to take for some time. Between all the rain we have been having here in south Texas it was a good weekend.
Nikon D800, 500mm, f/5.6, 1/800, ISO 800
This is the first year to see two Red-headed Woodpeckers together while visiting my mother in-law. I’ve watched them closely trying to find some type of pattern which would guide me to their nest. Looking always resulted in no luck.
Most of the time they remain on the far side of my lens’ reach. However, lately they have been coming closer on a more frequent basis and for good reason. They are raising a young juvenile. One of the parents flies in first to where water and seed is located, followed by the juvenile. Once the juvenile lands the parent flies to a nearby tree. This gives the young woodpecker a chance to learn by watching other birds feed. It constantly squawks non stop as it makes several low flybys scaring the other birds but never landing.
The Red-headed Woodpecker family is beautiful to watch as they interact with each other. Almost like a parent dropping their kids off at day-care.
Nikon D4, 500mm + 1.4tc, f/5.6, 1/4000s, EV -0.33, ISO 800
Nikon D4, 500mm + 1.4tc, f/5.6, 1/800s, EV -0.33, ISO 1250
I kept hearing what sounded like a woodpecker tapping on a tree. I slowly moved in that direction trying to find the location. I finally narrowed it down to one tree but thought it was playing games with me because I couldn’t find it. That’s when I saw the hole in the dead tree as he came out. I stood there for about 30 minutes as two would come and go. They would disappear into the hole and I could hear them pecking inside. A short while later they would stick their head out with a beak full of tree clippings and throw it into the wind. I was fascinated with their work and took several hundred pictures.
Nikon D4, 500mm, f/5.6, 1/1000, iso 200
David Alaniz Photography 