![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/northern-flicker-0465b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/320, f\/9, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\nI found him early last month at his nest hole in an aspen tree in Clark County, Idaho\u00a0as he and his mate were preparing the cavity for an eventual family. This head turn allowed me to compose the image to include more habitat than just the tree and cavity opening and even though the setting is a little cluttered and the bird\u00a0is in\u00a0shade I do appreciate the habitat aspect of the image.<\/p>\n
Northern Flickers use pre-existing nest cavities (rather than excavating new ones each year) more often than most other woodpeckers and these birds were refurbishing an older cavity.<\/p>\n
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I like this shot because it’s different. The head-on view with the head raised allows us an unusual good look at both red malar stripes of the male. Due to lack of depth of field very little in the image is tack sharp except the front of\u00a0the bird’s face but that helps to focus my attention on the bird – especially in this low light that tends to mute everything in the image.<\/p>\n As of last night the fire on Antelope Island had consumed 13,740 acres of the 28,000+ acre island and it’s only 35% contained.\u00a0According to managers, wildlife has largely been able to avoid the immediate effects of the fire but it will have far-reaching implications for the island’s wildlife and birds\u00a0for a long time to come.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/northern-flicker-0580b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/400, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n