A Northern Flicker and a Hawk come to visit

Just a few from around the yard this weekend

The Northern Flicker, who we haven't seen in a good while. I think he likes the Peanut Suet I put out.

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This is an excellent photo of the flicker, and your background creates a sense of color and uniqueness that sends this shot right to the top. The snow flakes, the color of the bird, the background dynamic, all come together wonderfully, this is a very very successful photograph, imo. Great work, thanks for sharing. The other two are nice as well but that first shot is really a wonderful photo

Great detail and color on the flicker. Nice shots.

Thank you both very much It was one of those times when everything came together. I just wish it happened more often

Man, save that flicker shot for next christmas and make a card from it.

I see you use CS3. I have spent a year searching for the best noiseware, CS tricks, bought books, spent hours reading tutes online. Want to know what I use? As it turns out, this is the best I have found and I use it for everything that comes off the 1D and 40D now.

Gorgeous colors on the yellow shafted flicker! Considering the shutter speeds you acheived I would think you could back the ISO down to 200, reduce the noise and still get a sharp shot of the hawks against that blue sky. Still, that's pretty noisy for a 30d at ISO 400.

Ken

Nice set....really like the Flicker but I'm fond of the Red Tail pics because it's what I'm used to seeing around my parts also...like you, I wish they'd visit more often to thin out the herd of squirrels I've been inadvertantly feeding.

Do you have photoshop? I have Photoshop CS3 and they have a noise reduction filter that works pretty well...I use it alot also.

Thank you for looking and commenting Mitch, Ken and Duane. I might just save Mr. Flicker for a Christmas card, I hadn't thought of that! I've dl'd that software, I'm headed to Central California coast for a week, so it will come in handy (please stop raining so I can use low ISO!)

That flicker shot is stunning! I wish it was going into the POTN book.. wow!

Hali, let me know how the software works out. I bought it cause it was specifically for the 1D, but I have used it on files from a D60, an older D30, a 30D, my 1D and now the 40D and it does a much better job than Neat Image or anything that I can do with filters in CS2. It's more subtle, if you know what I mean, It get's the noise, but doesn't make it so obvious.

Wow, thats the best shot of a Northern Flicker I've ever seen. The colours are excellent.

And, thanks Mitch for the recommendation re the noise reduction software....I'm going to give it a try as Neat Image has been difficult for me to use effectively.

That flickr shot just pops ! Great job.

Since image editing is turned on, I ran the Flicker through the software, which takes about a second. Here's what it did.

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Thats really good Mitch, subtle yet very effective.

Nice , i like #1 best .