Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

Clearest shot yet of this elusive bird · **8 Likes**

A pair of these have been in our woods for months, and I finally got a decent shot. I coaxed out as much detail as I could using Camera raw and Photoshop. I lowered exposure in Camera raw to lower background highlights, then dodged in Photoshop the in-focus areas including bird to bring out details.

bertwert · 10-17-2021, 07:25 AM

Ooh nice - these pileated woodpeckers aren't so relaxed to let you get close

**MikeNArk** · 10-17-2021, 07:36 AM

Pleated Woodpeckers are a sight to see. These are very nice captures. These birds formerly visited my area every year. We have a wooded lot directly behind our yard left natural to attract wildlife. Due to continued development in our area, we don't see these great birds very often. Thanks for posting.

normhead · 10-17-2021, 07:40 AM

They live around us, we hear them every day, we still hardly ever see them. I have two good images. They walk around the back side of the tree so you can't see them, even when they are close and making a lot of noise. They are truly frustrating birds.

**phx.david** · 10-17-2021, 08:03 AM

Very nice shots. Never seen those before.

**mahanpots** · 10-17-2021, 08:22 AM

Originally posted by bertwert

Ooh nice - these pileated woodpeckers aren't so relaxed to let you get close

I heard one the recently, and as soon as I spotted him, he turned and looked at me and flew off.

---------- Post added 10-17-21 at 08:24 AM ----------

Originally posted by MikeNArk

Pleated Woodpeckers are a sight to see. These are very nice captures. These birds formerly visited my area every year. We have a wooded lot directly behind our yard left natural to attract wildlife. Due to continued development in our area, we don't see these great birds very often. Thanks for posting.

Thanks. I love to see them darting through the trees.

---------- Post added 10-17-21 at 08:25 AM ----------

Originally posted by normhead

They live around us, we hear them every day, we still hardly ever see them. I have two good images. They walk around the back side of the tree so you can't see them, even when they are close and making a lot of noise. They are truly frustrating birds.

Very frustrating, indeed.

---------- Post added 10-17-21 at 08:26 AM ----------

Originally posted by phx.david

Very nice shots. Never seen those before.

They're quite a big bird, too.

**joelbolden** · 10-17-2021, 09:29 AM

Nice shots! They are pretty common around this mountainous part of Central Pennsylvania. I have a bird feeder about 15' from my kitchen window and in the winter when I hang out Suet Blocks, they like to feed on those, so I've managed some excellent closeups.

**mahanpots** · 10-17-2021, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by joelbolden

Nice shots! They are pretty common around this mountainous part of Central Pennsylvania. I have a bird feeder about 15' from my kitchen window and in the winter when I hang out Suet Blocks, they like to feed on those, so I've managed some excellent closeups.

Thanks. These two are feeding kind of up high in a tree on some grapes and/or berries, and I shot these from a 2nd-floor balcony of our house. Maybe I should try some suet.

**K-Three** · 10-17-2021, 12:47 PM

In the damp Pacific NW I coax them (and all the other wood peckers) in with suet cakes too,
If you don't mind photos of them on a feeder, I've gotten nice shots of them through the window
But you've got some nice natural shots of them here, good job against that bright sky

C_Jones · 10-17-2021, 02:05 PM

Nice detail.

**angkymac** · 10-17-2021, 09:35 PM

Great detail you pulled up.
Interesting bird to study. I'd once been told that they were near extinction.
Angky.

normhead · 10-18-2021, 05:17 AM

Originally posted by angkymac

Great detail you pulled up.
Interesting bird to study. I'd once been told that they were near extinction.
Angky.

Not around my house they aren't. Mine don't come for suet, but in the spring I have seen them and photographed them eating bird seed from the ground.

**ToddK** · 10-18-2021, 07:24 AM

Excellent shots! I have only seen one once when I lived in Northern California. I am now in Texas hill country, and I don't believe they are around here. They are pretty common in the eastern parts of Texas.

mahanpots
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by mahanpots
	Find threads started by mahanpots
	Find threads in which mahanpots has posted

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Nature The Elusive	Kiddo70	Post Your Photos!	3	06-16-2021 10:09 AM
Nature The elusive Texas Horned Lizard	forensicscientist	Post Your Photos!	10	07-11-2014 09:58 AM
Nature Green Pigeon - Elusive vs Inexorable	Inexorable	Post Your Photos!	3	05-13-2014 08:26 PM
Nature Have you heard ...Bird Bird Bird , Bird is the word ....	daacon	Post Your Photos!	14	02-14-2014 05:08 AM
A black bird, a silver bird, an orange bird, a red bird.	cputeq	Post Your Photos!	5	07-28-2008 06:08 PM

10-17-2021, 07:25 AM	#2
bertwert Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Golden, BC Posts: 15,172	Ooh nice - these pileated woodpeckers aren't so relaxed to let you get close

10-17-2021, 07:36 AM	#3
MikeNArk Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Conway, Arkansas Posts: 15,261	Pleated Woodpeckers are a sight to see. These are very nice captures. These birds formerly visited my area every year. We have a wooded lot directly behind our yard left natural to attract wildlife. Due to continued development in our area, we don't see these great birds very often. Thanks for posting.

10-17-2021, 07:40 AM	#4
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	They live around us, we hear them every day, we still hardly ever see them. I have two good images. They walk around the back side of the tree so you can't see them, even when they are close and making a lot of noise. They are truly frustrating birds.

10-17-2021, 08:03 AM	#5
phx.david Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 1,620	Very nice shots. Never seen those before.

10-17-2021, 08:22 AM	#6
mahanpots Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Seagrove, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 953 Original Poster	Originally posted by bertwert Ooh nice - these pileated woodpeckers aren't so relaxed to let you get close I heard one the recently, and as soon as I spotted him, he turned and looked at me and flew off. ---------- Post added 10-17-21 at 08:24 AM ---------- Originally posted by MikeNArk Pleated Woodpeckers are a sight to see. These are very nice captures. These birds formerly visited my area every year. We have a wooded lot directly behind our yard left natural to attract wildlife. Due to continued development in our area, we don't see these great birds very often. Thanks for posting. Thanks. I love to see them darting through the trees. ---------- Post added 10-17-21 at 08:25 AM ---------- Originally posted by normhead They live around us, we hear them every day, we still hardly ever see them. I have two good images. They walk around the back side of the tree so you can't see them, even when they are close and making a lot of noise. They are truly frustrating birds. Very frustrating, indeed. ---------- Post added 10-17-21 at 08:26 AM ---------- Originally posted by phx.david Very nice shots. Never seen those before. They're quite a big bird, too.

10-17-2021, 09:29 AM	#7
joelbolden Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Stormstown, Pennsylvania Photos: Gallery Posts: 605	Nice shots! They are pretty common around this mountainous part of Central Pennsylvania. I have a bird feeder about 15' from my kitchen window and in the winter when I hang out Suet Blocks, they like to feed on those, so I've managed some excellent closeups.

10-17-2021, 12:27 PM	#8
mahanpots Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Seagrove, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 953 Original Poster	Originally posted by joelbolden Nice shots! They are pretty common around this mountainous part of Central Pennsylvania. I have a bird feeder about 15' from my kitchen window and in the winter when I hang out Suet Blocks, they like to feed on those, so I've managed some excellent closeups. Thanks. These two are feeding kind of up high in a tree on some grapes and/or berries, and I shot these from a 2nd-floor balcony of our house. Maybe I should try some suet.

10-17-2021, 12:47 PM	#9
K-Three Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Pugetopolis, WA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	In the damp Pacific NW I coax them (and all the other wood peckers) in with suet cakes too, If you don't mind photos of them on a feeder, I've gotten nice shots of them through the window But you've got some nice natural shots of them here, good job against that bright sky

10-17-2021, 02:05 PM	#10
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,086	Nice detail.

10-17-2021, 09:35 PM	#11
angkymac Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Photos: Albums Posts: 9,032	Great detail you pulled up. Interesting bird to study. I'd once been told that they were near extinction. Angky.

10-18-2021, 05:17 AM	#12
normhead Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Near Algonquin Park Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 40,451	Originally posted by angkymac Great detail you pulled up. Interesting bird to study. I'd once been told that they were near extinction. Angky. Not around my house they aren't. Mine don't come for suet, but in the spring I have seen them and photographed them eating bird seed from the ground.

10-18-2021, 07:24 AM	#13
ToddK Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas Hill Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,566	Excellent shots! I have only seen one once when I lived in Northern California. I am now in Texas hill country, and I don't believe they are around here. They are pretty common in the eastern parts of Texas.

Nature Clearest shot yet of this elusive bird

Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!