Algonquin Park Black-backed Woodpecker

[Stephen Stephen]

As some of you know Dan (Dancad) and Wayne (Live2trip) invited me to join them on a trip to the park yesterday.

Here's a couple shots of a female Black-backed Woodpecker. There not the best but definitely an addition to my life list. :D

[Wayne Wood]

Nice detail on her Stephen I think that she and the male 3 toed were the most difficult of all yesterdays birds to photgraph what with the thick bush we were in and all the little twigs that were in the way , I think you did an awesome job on her ,,, well done buddy

[tomcio]

Nice job on these... I will be in the park next weekend on my BDay and maybe will get some photohraphy done :) Hope to see some of the birds I keep on missing each year im there heehe.

[downywp]

The Black-backed and Three-toed woodpeckers are uncommon to rare, east of me and despite many many trips to look for them, I have never seen either one. Congrats on the great sighting and photos! :)

[busbyea]

Congrats on your your new addition Stephen.
Fluffed up pretty good. Must have been cold..
Nice detail.

[ZipDude66]

Ahh there we go thanks Stephen!

Zip

[jr#8]

Nice shot. When your in the park are you walking around or sitting in a blind or what? Do you use food or bait and wait?

[Stephen Stephen]

Thanks Wayne, it was a fantastic day.

Nice job on these... I will be in the park next weekend on my BDay and maybe will get some photohraphy done :) Hope to see some of the birds I keep on missing each year im there heehe.

Thank you Tom. Good luck next weekend. I was hoping for a spruce grouse but had no luck.

Downy, Ted and Zip thank you for your kind words.

Nice shot. When your in the park are you walking around or sitting in a blind or what? Do you use food or bait and wait?

Thank you. We were walking along a trail to try and find the woodpeckers. The Grey jays found us! Many of the rest were attracted to feeders near the Visitor's Centre

[canonloader]

Nice shots of a bird I've never seen. I got to go through my book again, cause I've never heard of it either. Came out good. :)

[Wayne Wood]

just thought I would put in a pic of Stephen with a Grey Jay ,,, 3 Jays came out of no where and Stephen pulled some peanuts from his pocket and it wasn't 10 seconds before the first one landed in his hand ,,, Unbeleivable in the middle of nowhere to find a bird as unafraid and trusting as this , all 3 birds took food from the hand from both myself and Stephen

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/2652/img489001od2.jpg

[dancad]

Stephen, we had really tough conditions for shooting these woodpeckers and I think you did an admirable job. I know the Black-Backed (and Three-Toed) is a coveted species by many birders/photographers...I know I'm certainly greatful to have seen both!

[Alex Paul]

Beautiful Stephen......Alex

[Gary Fairhead]

Very nice Stephen and this is a Woodpecker I very much would like to see and photograph.Congratulations on these..super.

Wayne...nice shot considering the "hand of Man " ;)

[Stephen Stephen]

Thank you Mitch, Wayne, Dan, Alex and Gary. I've removed the OOF foreground branch in the second photo. What do you think? :D

[Gary Fairhead]

I like this second version Stephen....puts more focus on the bird...I better get back to work...

[tomcio]

The grey jays tehre are not affraid at all for some reason. When I go camping into the interior of the park (hours into the park where it is wild) they still come and look for food hehhee...