Red-bellied Woodpecker, Mississippi River, Frenchtown County Park, near Guttenberg, Iowa
Yellow-rumped Warblers were not the only birds I had in front of the lens last weekend. This dead River Birch at the edge of the water was also part of the habitat for a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Some pieces of bark on its bill tell us that he had a busy day. The sky was clear at this time and the blue makes for some nice color contrast to the plumage of the woodpecker. We have the red-bellied here in our woods and can see them every day but including a shaggy birch as a perch in the frame makes it special for me. The image is cropped and orientation was changed because I wasn’t able to keep some parts of the dead tree that I didn’t like out of the frame. Changing position was not an option. I know, it’s a compromise…
Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S, Sigma APO Teleconverter 1.4x EX DG, Induro GIT 404XL tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, @ 850 mm, 1/250 s, f/9, ISO 400