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If a Bird-in-the-Hand is Worth Two-in-the-Bush … What's a Bird-in-the-Snow Worth?

  

Category:  Photography & Art

By:  a-macarthur  •  6 years ago  •  44 comments

If a Bird-in-the-Hand is Worth Two-in-the-Bush … What's a Bird-in-the-Snow Worth?

original

Red-bellied Woodpecker Female

© A. Mac/A.G.


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A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
1  author  A. Macarthur    6 years ago

Snow gives the dedicated Nature photographer a four-season pastime!

 
 
 
TTGA
Professor Silent
2  TTGA    6 years ago

Really nice shot.  Am I correct in thinking that the male of the species has a back that is black all over?  Logically, that would make sense since the male is not supposed to be able to hide as easily as the female since it's his job to draw predators away from the nest and a straight black and red mixture would be more striking.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
2.1  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  TTGA @2    6 years ago

The male Red-bellied Woodpecker is distinguished from the female primarily by the full-red cap …

original

© A. Mac/A.G.

 
 
 
Galen Marvin Ross
Sophomore Participates
2.1.1  Galen Marvin Ross  replied to  A. Macarthur @2.1    6 years ago

Here's another good example of the Red-bellied Woodpecker,

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
2.1.2  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  Galen Marvin Ross @2.1.1    6 years ago

Woody was based on the Ivorybilled Woodpecker.

 
 
 
Galen Marvin Ross
Sophomore Participates
2.1.3  Galen Marvin Ross  replied to  A. Macarthur @2.1.2    6 years ago
Woody was based on the Ivorybilled Woodpecker.

Well, you were taking woodpeckers so, I thought I'd throw him in the mix.

 
 
 
Galen Marvin Ross
Sophomore Participates
2.1.4  Galen Marvin Ross  replied to  Galen Marvin Ross @2.1.3    6 years ago

I meant talking woodpeckers.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
2.1.5  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  Galen Marvin Ross @2.1.4    6 years ago

It's all good … whatever keeps the discussion interesting, fun, enjoyable.

 
 
 
Old Hermit
Sophomore Silent
2.1.6  Old Hermit  replied to  A. Macarthur @2.1.5    6 years ago
It's all good … whatever keeps the discussion interesting, fun, enjoyable.

Wish I had your skill with the camera A. Mac. 

My random, point and shoot, shots are OK for my personal stash of memory enhancers but lose a lot of impact when shared. ( smile )

That said, I do love the sound of a woodpecker bopping away on a still winters day.

I could be wrong but, based on their size, I think my guys are "Pileated Woodpeckers".

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Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
2.1.7  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  Old Hermit @2.1.6    6 years ago

Your description made me recall the tap-tap-tap of the woodpeckers in winter when I was up north staying in a farmhouse in the Ontario wilderness. 

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
2.1.8  Trout Giggles  replied to  A. Macarthur @2.1.2    6 years ago

I thought he was a pilated woodpecker?

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
2.1.9  Trout Giggles  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @2.1.7    6 years ago

I like listening to woodpeckers pecking and I like their calls. Once I went camping with people who are no longer even acquaintances. A red bellied was pecking on a light pole. He was bothering this woman who was reading and she wanted me to throw something at him to make him go away. I didn't, of course.

If you're out in the woods supposedly enjoying nature, why does a woodpecker pecking bother you?

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
2.1.10  Trout Giggles  replied to  A. Macarthur @2.1    6 years ago

Thanks for telling me how to tell the difference. I get quite a few woodpeckers (red-bellied and downy) at my feeders

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
2.1.11  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  Old Hermit @2.1.6    6 years ago

Pileateds they are ... and they have been known to be quite destructive to wooden portions of houses!

Always feel free to share your photos in my discussions ... they add their own unique views.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
2.2  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  TTGA @2    6 years ago

I believe it's common for male birds to be the more colourful.

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
3  pat wilson    6 years ago

Another beauty !

 
 
 
charger 383
Professor Silent
4  charger 383    6 years ago

Nice,  how much snow did you get?

about 3" in Northwesten VA

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
4.1  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  charger 383 @4    6 years ago

Three to six inches ... heavy and wet although only a dusting was forecast.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
4.1.1  Kavika   replied to  A. Macarthur @4.1    6 years ago

It was 79 degrees here today and no forecast of snow for the next 10 years.

In fact there were butterflies around the flowers today.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
4.1.2  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  Kavika @4.1.1    6 years ago

 
 
 
Galen Marvin Ross
Sophomore Participates
4.1.3  Galen Marvin Ross  replied to  Kavika @4.1.1    6 years ago

LOL, nice thing about Florida, if you don't like the  weather where you're standing, cross the street.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
4.1.4  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  A. Macarthur @4.1.2    6 years ago

???

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
4.1.5  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @4.1.4    6 years ago

It’s the old Parkay margarine commercial ... “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.”

 
 
 
TTGA
Professor Silent
4.1.6  TTGA  replied to  Kavika @4.1.1    6 years ago
It was 79 degrees here today and no forecast of snow for the next 10 years.

That means you'll probably get a foot and a half of snow tomorrow.  Amazing how that works when you live on a peninsula.  Weatherman has to be a magician to guess it right.

Interesting thing about woodpeckers; they have a little shock absorber around their brain to protect it from damage.  Otherwise, the effect of pecking on a tree on them would be the same as us running our heads into a brick wall over and over.

It’s the old Parkay margarine commercial ... “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.”

I remember that one.  This one had a charging elephant.  Another had a lightning strike right next to her.  I wonder if the elephant or the lightning ever hit the Parkay factory; their margarine definitely did not taste like real butter.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
5  author  A. Macarthur    6 years ago

Possible Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Footage Breathes Life Into Extinction Debate

After searching for hundreds of hours and analyzing new evidence, a scientist has little doubt that the bird still exists. But does the jury agree?

By Michelle Donahue January 25, 2017
original  
 
 
 
dave-2693993
Junior Quiet
7  dave-2693993    6 years ago

Great photos Mac.

 
 
 
Nona62
Professor Silent
8  Nona62    6 years ago

The Wood Pecker is frame worthy!!!     The others are phenomenal  !!  Thanks for sharing your gift with us !!

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
9  author  A. Macarthur    6 years ago

My pleasure, Nona … "frame worthy," you say?

OK.

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Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
9.1  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  A. Macarthur @9    6 years ago

You have said that you welcome criticism of your works, and so much of it is beyond the need for it as we all know, but please permit me to say that unless you were trying to exaggerate the point you were making, your frame is too harsh and extreme, and distracts from the subject.  Would something like this not be more enhancing of the subject?:

512

Or this:

512

By the way, because I know it will be helpful for me to improve my technique, I welcome criticism of my work as well.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
9.1.1  author  A. Macarthur  replied to  Buzz of the Orient @9.1    6 years ago

I think they all work, Buzz. Often, it comes down to taste or preference.

 
 
 
A. Macarthur
Professor Guide
10  author  A. Macarthur    6 years ago

Let me explain my choice of the heavy, black frame.

The Woodpecker's bill, her tail, and the tree branch constitute three strong diagonals that could lead a viewer's eyes out of the composition and away from the main subject. The black frame stops the "vector" effects of the noted elements thus keeping the viewer within the frame.

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
10.1  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  A. Macarthur @10    6 years ago

Okay, I understand the reasoning, but you're right that it comes down to personal preference.

 
 

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