[Leica] IMG: Black-backed Woodpecker

[jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)]

Sounds like a real day's work.  The results are worth it, though.  Nice 
capture of the elusive beast.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Doug Herr" <wildlightphoto at earthlink.net>
To: <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2013 12:08 AM
Subject: [Leica] IMG: Black-backed Woodpecker


> The Black-backed Woodpecker could be described as the ambulance-chaser of 
> birds.  Their location from one year to the next can be difficult to 
> predict but most often they're found near a forest in distress, whether 
> from a recent fire or from a disease infestation.  This bird is attracted 
> to the insects that follow a fire or are otherwise prevalent in an 
> unhealthy forest.
>
> A Black-backed Woodpecker nest was recently found in mountainous El Dorado 
> County, between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe.  News of a Black-backed 
> Woodpecker sighting spreads quickly and numerous birders take time off 
> work or otherwise ditch rational occupations to catch a glimpse of this 
> elusive woodpecker.
>
> This particular family was about a mile up a popular trail that leads to 
> the Desolation Wilderness area; a bit rocky in places, with a good supply 
> of mosquitoes and other biting insects along the way with a bubbly creek 
> to keep the hiker company.  Yesterday I scouted the location and managed a 
> few distant photos using the 280 APO and 2x extender; not knowing what the 
> conditions would be like I carried a lightweight tripod and minimal other 
> supplies.
>
> This morning I returned with the intention of getting good quality photos; 
> to this end I decided to use the 280 APO and no more than 1.4x extender so 
> that I could use faster shutter speeds; I wanted to photograph the birds 
> in the morning shade because the light at the nest becomes too harsh after 
> about 1 PM; and I brought the big Gitzo instead of the little Bogen. 
> Snacks, water, a folding stool and a lightweight blind rounded out the 
> supplies.
>
> I figured the blind would allow me to get close enough to use the 280+1.4x 
> but once I set it up at the site the male woodpecker freaked out.  The 
> female was much more tolerant but the male refused to approach the nest; 
> this would not do.  I backed off, took the blind down and watched for a 
> few minutes as the adults fed the nestlings.  I needed a Plan B.
>
> While I was setting the camera up and before setting up the blind, the 
> male had no problem coming to the nest and feeding his babies.  He's used 
> to seeing hikers all day.  It was the blind that bothered him.
>
> Plan B
>
> sit and wait at a distance the birds don't mind
> watch and wait as they feed the peckerlings and learn that I'm not a 
> threat
> after a few feeding cycles, inch forward and repeat.
>
> Since the duration of feeding cycles ranged from seconds to half an hour, 
> and I wanted to be certain both adults were comfortable before I inched 
> forward, Plan B took about 5 hours and in that time I moved ten feet.
>
> The result: http://wildlightphoto.com/birds/picidae/bbwood03.html
>
> Disclaimer: in processing I enhanced the contrast of the bird while 
> leaving the tree trunk and background alone.
>
> technical stuff: R8/DMR, 280mm f/4 APO + 1.4x APO-Extender-R, big tripod. 
> All comments welcome.
>
> Doug Herr
> Birdman of Sacramento
> http://www.wildlightphoto.com
>
>
>
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