(click on image for larger version)
One day last week while looking out the window at backyard birds I noticed a BROWN CREEPER foraging on the trunk of our maple tree. Though I quickly gathered my digiscoping gear and headed out to the patio, the creeper was long gone by the time I was set. That’s often how it goes, but it’s always a good idea to follow through the drill. So, while doing a quick scan around the yard I noticed this beautiful RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER perched in late afternoon sun. It’s interesting – here I’ve been digiscoping for five years and I’m just now getting a nice Red-bellied Woodpecker image. To think they’re probably the most common woodpecker in Pheasant Branch Conservancy, especially along the stream corridor. What might that tell you about the search for the elusive bird down south? Just imagine how excited Arkansas bound folk would be to have it in this pose and lighting. Ah, The Lord God Bird. This notion doesn’t diminish my experience in any way, as the best bird is always the one that’s in front of my lens.
Red-bellied Woodpecker image © 2006 Mike McDowell
