This Red-bellied Woodpecker is showing off the red belly for which they are named. This field mark is often hard to see as it is typically pressed firmly against a tree.
Differentiating between a Red-bellied and Red-headed Woodpecker should be fairly straightforward. Their names alone would suggest one has a red belly while the other a red head. Why then are these woodpeckers often mistaken and called by the wrong name? It likely is because these birds are similar in size, colour, and both display red on their heads. Properly identifying these two woodpeckers is incredibly easy if you keep one thing in mind. The Red-headed Woodpecker is the only eastern woodpecker with an entirely red head.
The Red-headed Woodpecker is the only woodpecker in Southwestern Ontario with a solid red head.
To be fair, it’s not hard to see where the confusion comes from. The red belly of a Red-bellied Woodpecker is incredibly hard to see as this part of the bird is typically pressed against the trunk of a tree. To the untrained eye looking up an seeing a woodpecker with a large amount of red on its head one would assume red-headed, hence the erroneous identification an honest mistake.
Female Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a grey forehead and crown.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are far more common in Southwestern Ontario and the one most likely to frequent a backyard feeder. These birds can be attracted to feeders by offering peanuts, sunflower seeds, or suet. A visit to many of our city parks, ESAs, and other natural areas often reveals a Red-bellied Woodpecker. These birds have a black and white zebra-like pattern on their backs with the male displaying red on its forehead, crown, and nape while the female only has red on her nape with a grey forehead and crown.
This Red-headed Woodpecker, note the solid red head, black back and white wing patches, was observed at John E. Pearce Provincial Park.
The Red-headed Woodpecker is far less common across the region and in fact, is currently listed as a species at risk in Ontario. Your best chance to see one of these birds is at Pinery Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, orJohn E. Pearce Provincial Park as a visit to one of these parks will often reveal this bird. The Red-headed Woodpecker has a solid black back with large white wing patches and again an entirely red head. In this species, the male and female are similar in appearance.
Red-headed Woodpeckers are less common at backyard feeders, but I was fortunate to have this one show up a few years ago.
When it comes to identifying immature birds of these two species this becomes more of a challenge as the amount of red on their heads varies depending on age. Look for the white wing patches to contrast a dusky body and head of a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker while a juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker displays the same zebra-like pattern as an adult only with a dusky head. As both species mature, look for more red to appear on their heads.
The male Red-bellied Woodpecker displays a large amount of red on its head (forehead, crown, and nape) but lacks red on its entire head.
If you are out birding and come across a medium-sized woodpecker with a significant amount of red on its head look closely to see if its entire head is red. If so, you are looking at a Red-headed Woodpecker. If only parts of its head are red then it’s a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Remember this quick and easy tip next time you are in the field to easily differentiate these easily misidentified woodpeckers.
Carefully choosing my settings for both the amount of light and my subject helped me capture this image of a Green Heron.
Whether you are a professional photographer or simply a hobbyist, the goal of everyone who photographs birds is the same, sharper images. What many beginners often fail to realize is that sharp images have more to do with knowing how to properly use a camera and getting the most out of it than the price tag on it. Camera settings are what make or break a photo, and in this post I am going to share with you four settings you may not be using that will help improve your final images.
Capturing this image of a Common Tern moments after passing a small perch to a youngster required the proper camera settings.
1. Use Aperture Priority Mode Or Manual Mode To Set Your Exposure
Every great image starts with proper exposure. If your exposure is off these photos are destined for the recycle bin. Getting the correct exposure in-camera is key as this results in the best image possible. If you have to adjust your exposure in Lightroom or other photo editing program after the fact your image quality is going to suffer. The more you adjust the more it suffers. For anyone still shooting in automatic mode, the sooner you move out of this mode the sooner your images will improve. Remember when shooting in automatic mode your camera is calculating your exposure for you based on the amount of available light. Light is only part of the equation when it comes to an image. What about your subject? Isn’t that after all the purpose of taking the photo to capture the subject? Since your camera cannot identify your subject or whether or not it is moving leaving elements of the exposure such as shutter speed up to the camera is a bad idea. In order to get sharp images, you have to set the parameters of your exposure based not only on the amount of available light but also your subject and the only way to do this is by taking control of your settings.
I photographed this Black-crowned Night Heron using aperture priority mode while paying close attention to my histogram. Learning how to read your camera’s histogram will ensure proper exposure and help capture the most detail especially in a bird’s white feathers.
If you are new to photography and a bit overwhelmed by exposure, I recommend starting with aperture priority mode. In this mode, you select the aperture and ISO and the camera will automatically select the correct corresponding shutter speed. By doing this you can choose a wide aperture and high ISO which results in a fast shutter speed thus freezing the action of a fast-moving bird. Whenever the light permits, I like my shutter speed to be at least 1/1000 to ensure sharp images. Many will ask why not use shutter priority set at 1/1000? There are several reasons I do not use shutter priority. First, in aperture priority mode I have control of depth of field which allows me to better isolate my subject from the background. Second, in low light, I would have to shoot at a very high ISO to achieve 1/1000 shutter speed and my image would be too noisy. For anyone shooting with a full-frame camera, this option may work for you but on my APS-C sensor, I would not be impressed with my final images. This is one of the few instances where I would delete a photo due to noise. In low light situations with aperture priority mode, the camera will choose a slower shutter speed but with good technique, I can still freeze the action. If the light is really poor and the bird is moving I may end up with a blurry image but this is a limitation of my gear and the reality of photography some times. The only way to overcome this would be to invest in a full-frame camera capable of shooting at a much higher ISO.
Far too often images are underexposed when shooting in fully automatic mode. The only way to ensure proper exposure is by taking control of your settings.
The other option is to shoot in manual mode. In this mode, the photographer chooses all aspects of the exposure shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. Manual mode is a bit trickier as there is one more element to factor in but once comfortable you have full control and can really fine-tune your exposure with even the slightest change in light. Regardless of which of these two modes you choose, be sure to check your exposure on your histogram and adjust your settings accordingly to get the proper exposure.
Despite not being an overly fast-moving subject, I still chose an ISO of 800 to ensure my shutter speed was fast enough to freeze these Sandhill Cranes as they moved across a cornfield.
2. Carefully Select Your ISO
Regardless of whether you choose aperture priority or manual mode selecting the proper ISO is imperative. Too high and ISO and you end up with noisy images, too low an ISO and you won’t achieve a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action. One misconception many photographers have is that their camera is not capable of sharp, noise-free images at 800 ISO or higher. In my experience, any DSLR on the market today is quite capable of noise-free images at 800 ISO and even slightly higher if you get the exposure right. The problem is when you get the exposure wrong in-camera and start making adjustments in Lightroom, especially when you try to brighten an underexposed image. This accentuates the noise rendering the photo unusable. If the proper exposure is achieved in-camera very little noise is seen when opened in Lightroom and can easily be removed with the noise reduction slider.
A higher ISO results in a faster shutter speed which is required to freeze the action of a fast-moving bird. Digital noise can easily be removed in Lightroom or similar programs.
Whenever I am out in the field, I always start at ISO 800 as this typically results in a shutter speed of 1/1000 with a wide-open aperture even on cloudy days. If it is really cloudy, early morning, or other low light conditions I will bump my ISO up to 1250 or even 1600 and have no issues with noise provided I get the exposure correct. When I botch my exposure these images quickly get deleted upon returning home. I don’t even bother trying to adjust the exposure in Lightroom as I know these images will appear too noisy. When this occurs, and I fully admit it does, I think of the old saying you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. This is not the fault of the camera, the blame is solely on me for choosing the wrong settings or not being able to adjust them fast enough for the changing conditions. On sunny days I set my ISO lower but usually cannot go below 400 and still achieve a shutter speed of 1/1000. The bottom line is don’t be afraid to up your ISO. Sharp images with a bit of noise are better than a blurry image with no noise. When exposed properly you will miss more shots due to motion blur, a result of a shutter speed that was too slow, than you will because an image is too noisy.
Photographing an Osprey while it balances on a narrow perch seconds after it lands it much easier shooting multiple frames simultaneously.
3. Choose High-Speed Continuous Shooting
Cameras these days are capable of some pretty impressive burst rates now over 10 frames per second on newer models. However, if your camera is set to one-shot or single shooting you are not taking advantage of this feature. The only way to achieve a flight sequence of a bird of prey or waterfowl is to obtain focus and hold down the shutter, thus utilizing your maximum frames per second. This setting also comes in handy with slower-moving subjects like a shorebird running down the beach or a flitting songbird.
Those of you familiar with the Sora will know they are not an easy bird to see or photograph as they often stay well-hidden. Tracking this bird until it stepped out into the clear allowed me to achieve this image.
4. Use AI Servo (Canon Shooters) or AF-C (Nikon Shooters) Auto Focus
Obtaining focus on a moving bird is certainly challenging but fortunately, this setting will help. When using AI Servo, or AF-C for you Nikon shooters, your camera will continuously focus on a moving subject as long as your shutter button is held halfway down. This allows you to track a bird in flight or a small songbird as its hops from branch to branch while maintaining focus. When you see the shot you want, hold the shutter button down and take advantage of the high-speed continuous shooting I mentioned earlier.
Conclusion
Choosing the right camera settings can seem overwhelming and a bit confusing especially if you are new to photography. Anyone can achieve sharper images regardless of how much your equipment cost; however, this requires you to step outside your comfort zone and adjust a few of your camera settings. If you are not certain how to make these adjustments consult your camera’s manual. With the press of a few buttons, these changes can be easily made.
Bird photography is supposed to be fun, not frustrating. Making sure you are using the best possible settings is the first step in capturing stunning images. If you haven’t already, give these camera settings a try and I’m sure you will see an improvement in your final images.
Good birding,
Paul
*Curious about what camera, lenses, and other equipment I use for nature photography? Be sure to check out my gear page for more details.*
This Belted Kingfisher was observed last weekend while birding at Huron Street Woods.
Over the past couple of weeks, I have not been doing much birding thanks to a case of shingles. Surprisingly, I have found the pain tolerable, and the rash has not bothered me too much either. Based on the horror stories of others I know who have had shingles I feared the worst when my doctor gave me the diagnosis. What has given me the most trouble is the lack of energy and becoming easily fatigued. As a result, I have not been out walking as much and trying to heed the advice I received to take it easy. Feeling a bit better and seriously missing nature, I decided to take my camera and go for a short walk at Huron Street Woods.
Male House Finch
Parking at the North London Athletic Fields, I was greeted by a gusty southwest wind. Whenever birding in breezy conditions, I always look for protected areas as this is where I find most birds trying to avoid the moving air. Fortunately, Huron Street Woods is well protected by a large hill to the west, so I headed south along the trail in the direction of this sheltered area. As I approached, I could not hear anything in the way of bird sounds which did not bode well. In fact, the only thing I could hear was the rope of the Canadian flag on top of St. Peter’s Seminary making a dinging sound as it slammed against the flag pole in the strong wind. I made my way down a narrow path to the Thames River. A small creek, which I believe is essentially runoff from King’s College and the neighbouring streets enters the Thames here and is where I found a Belted Kingfisher. After snapping a few photos I went back up to the main path and continued south.
This image shows only a portion of the large flock of House Finches observed on this day.
A little further along I could hear the calls of several House Finches. From the sound of things, this was quite a large flock. Looking up I could see the birds, both males and females, sitting in the top of a small tree. I never did an exact count on all the birds, but I estimate the flock to be between two and three dozen. Also present in this area were several cardinals, chickadees, and juncos.
Carolina Wren
Making my way back north I could hear two Carolina Wrens calling back and forth in a swampy area beside the trail. Stopping to see if I could locate the birds for a photo, a Song Sparrow came into view. Finally, one of the Carolina Wrens appeared where I could capture an unobstructed photo.
This Winter Wren emerged from the fallen logs and held still just long enough for me to capture an image.
As I tracked these two birds with my camera while they flitted around one of the Carolina Wrens chased a Winter Wren from the fallen logs. To my surprise, the Winter Wren landed about six feet from where I was standing. As I tried to quickly flip my lens’ focus limiter switch the wren flew a short distance away. Fortunately, this bird landed not too far away allowing me to capture a few photos.
Huron Street Woods is home to an abundance of woodpeckers and I always seem to find a Red-bellied whenever I visit.
Hearing the chur chur chur call of a Red-bellied Woodpecker I scanned the trees and located this male bird. Raising my camera and pressing the shutter I captured several images of my favourite bird. With the late afternoon light now fading and the snow starting to fall, I made my way back to the car. I was glad I worked up the energy to leave the house and do some birding. Surrounding myself with birds and breathing in the fresh air certainly had me feeling better proving that a stroll through Huron Street Woods was just what the doctor ordered.
While at the Pinery working on my first video blog, this Tufted Titmouse was one of the many birds photographed.
Something new I decided to launch in 2020 is a video blog, commonly referred to as a vlog. The purpose of my new vlog is to bring you out in the field with me on my adventures and hopefully better show you some of the areas I visit and the wildlife I encounter while there.
The cloudy morning skies and low light conditions presented a nice opportunity for some black and white landscapes.
I have to admit shooting video is pretty new to me, but I am going to do my best to put together something that is both entertaining and educational. It is my hope that in each episode I can share more information on how I go about finding subjects to photograph and the camera settings and techniques I use in each situation to capture the images. I plan on including plenty of video footage of the wildlife encountered while adding still photos captured into each vlog as well. For those of you loyal blog subscribers, I will still be doing my written blog as well.
This Black-capped Chickadee preferred to be on the camera rather than in front of it.
Last week I visited Pinery Provincial Parkfor a day of birding and to shoot my first vlog episode. All in all, I was pretty satisfied with how it turned out considering my lack of video experience and learning how to use new software to piece the video and photo segments together. I realize I need to make a few tweaks for episode two. For instance, I left the still frames up too long which makes it appear the video is over. In the future, I plan on shortening this and adding voiceover explaining what camera settings I used and why given the situation.
This Opossum was a pleasant surprise under the feeders at the visitor centre.
I invite you to watch my first vlog episode below titled Winter Birding and Photography at Pinery Provincial Park. If you enjoy it, please subscribe on YouTube and be sure to click the bell to be notified when new episodes are published. Please feel free to leave a comment or suggestion of what you would like to see in future episodes.
A comfortable carrying system allows me to spend all day in the field enjoying my favourite pastime.
When it comes to digital cameras these days the technology is constantly improving. Buy a camera today and in what seems like a few months the manufacturers have released something with more bells and whistles. More megapixels, better autofocus, and built-in Wifi are just a few of the things that seem to be included as cameras models are upgraded. One part of the camera that has yet to be improved on in decades by the manufacturer is the strap.
Birds like the Barn Swallow do not often stay perched for long. The Cotton Carrier camera carrying system allows me to access my camera quickly.
The factory strap is better than no strap at all, I’ll give the manufacturers that, but is still something I recommend anyone with a camera, especially those who do a lot of hiking while photographing birds and nature upgrade. Not having the weight of a camera and lens swinging from my neck has certainly made my time in the field more enjoyable and less painful. Even a light DLSR and kit lens begins to feel quite heavy after a few hours of walking resulting in a sore neck at the end of the day.
When out hiking having a camera that is at the ready and easily accessible will help you capture more images of wildlife.
Over the years I have tried several different systems from harnesses to straps for carrying my camera with varying degrees of satisfaction. Most I found were not much better than what came with the camera while others like one very popular shoulder strap on the market only transferred the weight from my neck to my shoulder thus transferring the pain with it. Furthermore, I found that a shoulder strap with the weight of a camera attached caused that shoulder to sit lower than the other. This may not seem like a big deal but as someone who has had back surgery being even slightly off-kilter induced or exacerbated back pain negatively impacting my outing. After spending a considerable amount of money and amassing quite the collection of straps and harnesses, I finally settled on theCotton Carrier carrying system.
Regardless of whether it’s a fast or slow-moving subject, a comfortable carrying system makes photography even more enjoyable.
I fully admit my own frugalness prevented me from buying the Cotton Carrier first as they are not inexpensive. However, if I added up all the money I spent on substandard camera carrying systems I could have bought a Cotton Carrier and a bunch of other cool accessories for my camera. Lesson learned. It has been over six years with near-daily use and my Cotton Carrier still looks like it did when I took it out of the box save for a few frays on the strapping. The Cotton Carrier is incredibly durable.
With the Cotton Carrier, I can easily access my camera and slowly raise it to my eye thus not startling wary subjects.
Using the Cotton Carrier is incredibly easy. It simply goes on over your head while a strap wraps around behind your back buckling at your side securing it in place. Everything is fully adjustable ensuring a comfortable fit. A small aluminum hub threads into the bottom of any camera then fits into the camera mount on the front of the Cotton Carrier. As a result, the weight of the camera and lens is distributed evenly over both shoulders, not just one and not your neck. The unique part of this hub system is the camera has to be rotated 90 degrees to get it out of the mount. This ensures the camera does not fall out while hiking. There is also a velcro strap you can put over the lens further securing the camera in place guaranteeing it will not move or swing.
Even a light camera and lens puts a strain on your neck when carried with the factory strap.
There are some amazing videos online of people downhill skiing, mountain biking, and even doing flips on a trampoline with a camera secured in a Cotton Carrier. Also included with the Cotton Carrier system is a safety strap preventing your camera from hitting the ground in case it slips out of your hands when removing it from the mount or snapping photos. This feature has saved my camera and lens on a couple of occasions.
Eastern Chipmunk photographed moments after removing my camera from the Cotton Carrier.
My camera and telephoto lens weigh just over 5 lbs which may not seem like much, but over the course of several hours or even a full day at Point Pelee or Rondeau during spring migration 5 lbs feels like a ton especially if that weight was around my neck or on one shoulder. With my Cotton Carrier, I hardly notice this weight at all as it is distributed evenly across my shoulders. My camera does not swing around and it is right in front of me at the ready when a shot presents itself.
In situations where I may want to photograph landscapes as well as wildlife, Iike during the fall when the leaves are changing, I like to carry two cameras.
I have since purchased theCotton Carrier Wanderer which allows me to carry a second camera body. Why do I carry a second camera body you ask? I don’t all the time but in situations where I may want to photograph landscapes as well as wildlife I do. In these instances, my second DSLR and wide-angle lens are stowed in the Wanderer. I used to carry a series of shorter lenses in my backpack and would switch between my telephoto and something more suited to landscape photography but inevitably as soon as I switched to the shorter lens a great wildlife situation would present itself and unfortunately I would miss the shot as a 10-18 mm lens obviously lacked the required reach, thus the two camera approach.
In the above video I demonstrate how the Cotton Carrier works and explain why I love it so much.
If you are unhappy with your camera strap and are tired with the strain it puts on your neck or shoulder consider switching to a Cotton Carrier system. Don’t let the price intimidate you like I did as this system is worth every penny. I can honestly say that the Cotton Carrier is by far the best accessory I have purchased for my camera. With it, I can spend as much time as I want in the field enjoying my favourite pastime and am never left with a sore neck. My only regret about the Cotton Carrier is that I did not buy it first before wasting all that money on all those other straps. I think if you give the Cotton Carrier a try you will agree that this is the best system for carrying your camera.
Good birding,
Paul
* Please note this post contains Amazon affiliate links. You can help support my website by using the above links when you purchase products on Amazon (they send me a few bucks when you do at no additional cost to you). I only provide links to products I have purchased and am satisfied with based on my own experience. Thanks for your support!*
When it comes to Northern Cardinals more often than not, I see more of these birds the closer I am to home.
With so many great birding destinations around Southwestern Ontario, it’s often hard to pick one. Visiting a nearby provincial park or other birding hotspot is always an adventure, but what if you simply can’t make time? Fortunately, regardless of where you live great birding exists close to home.
Working from home, I make my own schedule and therefore try to combine a walk with birding into every day. The physical and mental health benefits of this are immeasurable and the days when I get out birding are far more productive than when I don’t. For me, this just makes sense and I’m fortunate my job affords me this opportunity.
Mallards are always present in the small pond close to home.
Currently, where I reside in Northeast London I am a five-minute walk from a city park and pathway that runs along Stoney Creek. This is where I head most mornings for my daily walk and fix of birds. Despite being located in a heavily populated urban subdivision, this gem has an abundance of nature within the well-wooded area and accompanying pond adjacent to the creek. If not for the distant road noise to the east it would be easy to forget I’m in the city only minutes from home.
While birding along Stoney Creek recently, I found a nice flock of House Finches.
Not being one to drive hundreds of kilometers to chase down a lifer or observe a rarity that somehow winds up on the wrong side of the continent, birding close to home is right up my alley. I am far happier watching and listening to a cardinal and other common birds in a quiet serene atmosphere close to home than standing shoulder to shoulder with dozens of others trying to catch a glimpse of a bird I heard about online. Battling traffic for a chance to see a species that may or may not still be present by the time I arrive has little appeal. For me, birding is about releasing stress, staying active, and connecting with nature; therefore, a big year is likely not in my future.
Squirrels at the local park are abundant and by the looks of things, their numbers will soon be on the rise.
In roughly an hour, I can navigate the path along Stoney Creek tallying several bird species by sight or sound. Mammals are often observed with deer, muskrats, and beaver having been recorded. Sometimes I slow down to take more pictures, but I still get back to my desk to put in another solid hour of work before lunch. As mentioned earlier, this final hour of the morning and remainder of my work day are far more productive than if I stay at my desk with my nose to the grindstone.
The dense cover along Stoney Creek provided quality camouflage for a Cooper’s Hawk
More notable birds are also observed on my morning walks. Cooper’s Hawks have nested in one of the woodlots the previous two years and I had close views of one just last week perched deep in a thicket. A Belted Kingfisher has recently been seen and heard, albeit briefly moving up and down the creek. Wild Turkeys are often spotted and during migration, the variety of species present naturally increases.
Dark-eyed Juncos are one of the many common birds you can expect to find in city parks.
For anyone interested, this path runs from Windermere Road to just south of Fanshawe Park Road as well as through Hastings Park. There is no parking lot but street parking is available with several access points from the surrounding neighbourhood. I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a birding destination; however, if you live in the area it’s worth checking out. Many of my daily posts on Facebook and Instagram feature images taken from along Stoney Creek.
The above map shows the area along Stoney Creek where I enjoy my morning walks and my daily fix of birds. Zoom out to see the path along the creek.
You don’t have to go far to find an abundance of wildlife. With the price of gas these days, birding close to home is a fine option.
Regardless of where you live, a similar area is likely within walking distance of your home providing you the opportunity to get out and enjoy birding and nature on short notice. Finding a location near you is quite easy, simply pull up a Google map and zoom in on your area. Parks and green spaces are aptly shaded in green and designated paths are marked with a broken line. Locating a similar area near you may be just what you need in order to stay active, spend more time outdoors, enjoy the winter months, or simply get out birding more often. These natural areas in the middle of our neighbourhoods are absolute gems and if visited I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the abundance of wildlife present so close to home.
Downy Woodpeckers are common in our area and regularly visit backyard feeders.
When it comes to woodpeckers, the Downy and Hairy are almost identical in appearance. Both reside across our area with the Downy being more abundant and the one most often seen at backyard feeders. There are several ways to correctly identify each bird, but one is by far the easiest.
Size is one way to correctly identify Hairy (pictured here) and Downy Woodpeckers. However, when seen at a distance or not side-by-side for comparison this can pose a challenge.
Some may argue that size is the most obvious difference between Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers with the former measuring 6-1/2″ in length and the latter 9-1/2″. Agreed, a 3″ size difference when it comes to birds is substantial; however, when seen at a distance or not side-by-side this can still leave many unsure.
Downy Woodpecker
Identifying each bird by their call is another way to tell the difference between a Downy and a Hairy. However, many birders and nature enthusiasts are just not comfortable relying on sound, besides what if the bird is seen and not heard? Learning to identify birds by ear takes quite a bit of practice and is more time consuming than the method I am going to share.
The black spots on the outer tailfeathers of this Downy Woodpecker clearly visible in this photo are not always easy to see; therefore, this is not the most reliable field mark to look for.
Looking carefully at their plumage is another option for correctly deciphering between a Downy and Hairy. Both woodpeckers have white outer tail feathers with the Downy displaying black spots on their outer tail feathers while the Hairy’s are plain white. The male Downy and Hairy each display a patch of red on the back of their heads with the Hairy’s being divided in two by a black line. Seeing these characteristics while in the field even with quality binoculars can be a challenge to say the least.
Bill length is by far the easiest way, in my opinion, to tell the difference between these similar woodpeckers. In this photo of a Hairy Woodpecker, you can see the bill is roughly the same length as the bird’s head.
By now you might be feeling overwhelmed and doubting your confidence to correctly identify these similar woodpeckers. Let me reassure you it is not that difficult. The easiest way to identify a Downy or Hairy is to look at the length of their bill. The Downy Woodpecker has a much shorter bill roughly 1/3 the length of the bird’s head while the Hairy’s bill is nearly the same length as its head. Even when these birds are pressed against a tree they will often pause with their heads pulled back long enough to get a look at their bill. Quickly size it up in relation to their head and just like that, you have a positive identification.
In the above photo, three of the field marks I mentioned previously can be seen on this Hairy Woodpecker. Note the lack of black spots on the bird’s outer tail feathers. Also visible is the black line that divides the red patch on the back of this male bird’s head. However, the length of the bird’s bill is by far the easiest field mark to see. Sizing it up with the bird’s head shows that it’s roughly the same length, thus correctly identifying this woodpecker as a Hairy.
Nearly identical in appearance, the Hairy Woodpecker’s bill (top) is significantly longer than the Downy’s (bottom).
Next time you come across a woodpecker and find yourself asking Downy or Hairy? take a look at the bird’s bill. If the bill is roughly the same length as the bird’s head it’s a Hairy, if the bill is shorter than the bird’s head it’s a Downy. Remembering this simple tip will help you quickly and accurately identify these similar woodpeckers.
Hidden beneath the turbulent water of Sauble Falls was a new species for me to photograph.
Last weekend I traveled to Sauble Beach to celebrate a family member’s birthday. Only there for one night, I wasn’t planning on birding but hoped to maybe visit nearby Sauble Falls located just down the road. The weather forecast for the weekend looked less than ideal with rain, flurries, and strong west winds off Lake Huron predicted.
The recent rain forced the water of the Sauble River over its banks cascading between this series of rocks.
On Saturday afternoon the precipitation let up and the group of us piled in the car and made the five-minute drive to Sauble Falls. The Sauble River was high and flowing fast with recent rain and runoff adding to the river’s volume. The falls themselves were quite impressive watching and listening to the force of the water. Wanting to focus more on time with the family and not wandering off alone with my camera, I made the decision to leave my camera back at the house. We had a great time exploring the banks of the river and the adjacent Sauble Falls Provincial Park.
Watching the fish leap out of the water and up the falls was an amazing experience.
As we made our way to the falls, we could see several salmon and rainbow trout in the turbulent water. After watching for a few minutes, several fish began leaping into the air trying to ascend the falls. Each autumn, trout and salmon migrate from the Great Lakes up rivers to spawn with salmon subsequently dying having completed their life cycle. Trout, on the other hand, won’t spawn until late winter or spring but often enter the rivers early with some theories suggesting they follow the salmon to feed on their eggs while making the epic journey upstream. Trout are able to spawn several times and can make return trips upstream each year to spawn returning to the lake afterward. These runs of salmon and trout as they are often referred involve the fish barrelling their way through obstacles including waterfalls and other obstructions along the way.
Watching the salmon and trout make their way up this staircase of flowing water was an impressive sight.
The plan for Sunday involved me driving back to London by myself, so it quickly became my intention to return to Sauble Falls with my camera before heading home to try to capture this incredible spectacle along with some images of this beautiful landscape.
Salmon battling the strong current.
On Sunday, I returned to Sauble Falls this time armed with my camera and several lenses. I was excited to try capturing images of the salmon and trout, something I had never attempted before. Since I was planning on photographing the falls itself as well as the fish, I brought with me my Canon 18-55mm kit lens and my Canon 10-18mm wide-angle lens. Also in my bag was my Canon 55-250mm and my trusty 100-400mm. Due to the proximity at which I could view the fish and the narrow river, my 100-400mm stayed in the bag as it provided too much reach, something most wildlife photographers rarely encounter.
Sauble Falls
After taking a few photos of the falls from the north side of the Sauble River, I made my way over the footbridge to the base of the falls on the south side where we had great views of trout and salmon trying to get up the falls the previous day. To my delight, right next to the bank in a calm pool of water, three salmon were staging getting ready to make their move up the falls. I took a few test shots of the water and adjusted my settings to dial in my exposure. To photograph the fish, I used aperture priority mode with my aperture set at f6.3 and my ISO at 1250 due to the poor light conditions created by the heavy cloud cover. I also used +1 stop of exposure compensation to properly expose the white water. These settings resulted in a shutter speed of 1/1250.
The sheer number of fish at the base of the falls gave me plenty of chances to capture them in action.
Just downstream from the falls several anglers were seen drifting their baits below floats in an effort to catch the fish. One fisherman I spoke to was successful as he had a beautiful female rainbow trout on a stringer and was heading home to clean his catch and warm up.
This Herring Gull appeared to be waiting for an opportunity at an easy meal.
Once an avid fisherman before getting so serious into photography, I was enthralled by the activity and quantity of the fish. To be honest, I almost completely tuned out the birds in the area. A lone Herring Gull was observed on the same rock at the base of the falls both days, I assume hoping to feed on one of the salmon that will eventually meet their demise after they spawn. A female Common Merganser was also present Saturday and Sunday on the river. American Robins, Dark-eyed Juncos and Golden-crowned Kinglets were seen and heard from the surrounding trees and shrubs. The day before as I arrived in town, I observed a Common Raven scavenging at the side of the road.
A boardwalk and series of lookouts provide great views of Sauble Falls.
The scenery surrounding Sauble Falls was quite beautiful. A mix of birch, pine, cedar, spruce, hemlock, and tamarack trees line the banks of the river while the water cascaded over a series of boulders and rock shelves. This landscape would make for great photos year-round, but especially when the fall colours peak and perhaps even in winter when snow and ice potentially cover portions of the falls.
Fish were constantly leaping out of the water in an effort to climb the falls.
I was thoroughly impressed with my visit to Sauble Falls. The birthday celebration was outstanding and the falls and surrounding landscape are quite stunning. My only wish is that I had more time to explore. I only spent about an hour taking photos as I had a long drive ahead of me. I’m sure if I devoted more time to birding in the nearby forests I could have discovered more birds and maybe even other waterfowl in the slower moving water upstream from the falls. For those of you who are campers, Sauble Falls Provincial Park has some large, well-treed campsites with hydro overlooking the river that would be worth looking into for next season.
Sauble Falls
If I ever find myself in the area again, I will definitely be stopping at Sauble Falls. A visit to this location at any time of year is sure to be rewarding based on the scenery alone. Throw in a few birds and even some fish making their way upstream to spawn and you have the recipe for an outstanding day.
Good birding,
Paul
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Pinery Provincial Park is currently displaying some beautiful fall colours.
Wanting somewhere to bird and paddle close to home, Pinery Provincial Parkseemed like the perfect destination. After strapping my 14′ Prospector pack boat by Swift Canoe and Kayak to the top of my car, loading my camera and lenses, and packing a lunch, I hit the road. Having not visited the Pinery in roughly 25 years, I was excited about the possibilities of exploring somewhere new.
Among the waterfowl present was this Hooded Merganser.
Arriving at the park just after 9 a.m. I was greeted by blue skies. I glanced down at the dash thermometer which read 3 degrees Celcius. A cool start to the day no doubt but that was okay as I brought plenty of layers to choose from. After showing my Ontario Parks annual vehicle permit at the gatehouse, I slowly made my way into the park. Immediately on my left, a male Eastern Towhee flitted through the thick shrubs lining the road while two Hermit Thrushes scattered to my right. I was pretty excited about the towhee sighting and was hoping this was a sign of things to come.
If not for its revealing call, this Gray Catbird likely would have gone unnoticed.
I meandered through the park and came to the canoe launch. As I exited my vehicle, Blue Jays could be heard calling while several White-throated Sparrows moved along the forest floor adjacent to the river bank. A lone Gray Catbird disclosed its location in a dogwood by letting out its cat-like meow call. After getting my boat off the car and all my gear loaded on board I was ready to start paddling. Heading north along the Old Ausable Channel I decided to stick the west side. Not only would this provide the best light for photos, paddling in the sunshine was much more comfortable on this chilly morning.
Large numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers were observed throughout the park.
Making my way along, several more songbirds could be heard including White-breasted Nuthatches, American Goldfinches, and Black-capped Chickadees. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were abundant as they moved through the trees along the water’s edge. Hearing a splash, I looked to my left to see four Wood Ducks taking flight from underneath an oak tree; not surprising considering acorns are a favourite food of this waterfowl.
Red-headed Woodpeckers were certainly a highlight of my recent visit to Pinery Provincial Park.
As I continued to paddle, I remembered my Dad taking me canoeing at the Pinery as a kid and seeing a Red-headed Woodpecker. The dead trees on the west side of the river looked just as I remembered them so many years ago. I scanned up and down them as this is where I had seen the rare woodpecker more than two decades earlier. Not alerted by sound or movement, I noticed what looked like the large white wing patches of a Red-headed Woodpecker high up on a broken-off tree trunk. Resting my paddle across the gunwales I coasted along fixated on the tree. Sure enough, it was a Red-headed Woodpecker. Raising my camera I captured several images of this bird. I watched as the bird flew back and forth between the dead tree and live oaks returning with what appeared to be acorns. From what I could tell the bird was caching the nuts in the loose bark and crevices of the deceased tree. Making my way further north, another one of these beautiful woodpeckers came into view, this time a juvenile bird lacking the red head.
This Osprey was one of several birds of prey observed while paddling at Pinery Provincial Park.
Happy with this observation I continued north. Up ahead, an Osprey took flight and was coming straight at me. I managed to capture several images as the bird passed by. Other birds of prey present on this day were several Cooper’s Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and Turkey Vultures all clearly migrating as they made their way south through the park.
Wood Ducks were prevalent on this day; however, getting close enough for a quality shot was impossible.
As I rounded the next bend another small group of Wood Ducks was seen resting on a fallen log. I managed to capture a distant shot before they took flight. On this day I saw more Wood Ducks than I have anywhere else in a long time but getting close enough to these skittish birds for a quality shot was impossible.
Great Blue Heron
Next, a Great Blue Heron preening on a dead branch caught my eye. Having paddled this 2.5-mile section of the river, I reached the culvert at the end of the channel. A Red Squirrel chattered as it moved through the fallen leaves and jumped up into the cedars while the chuck, chuck, chuck call of an Eastern Chipmunk could also be heard.
Painted Turtle basking on a fallen log.
Now afternoon, a strong south breeze had picked up as predicted. Battling a headwind on the way back I was happy to have my 5 lbfolding anchoron board so I could quietly slip this over this side and continue to take pictures without losing ground. Despite a rather cool wind, the afternoon sun was warm enough to draw Painted Turtles out of the water as I saw several basking on fallen logs.
Wild Turkey
Continuing south in the direction of my car, three Wild Turkeys made their way through the tall grasses of the shoreline. Pausing to take pictures, the south breeze was quite appreciated as it pushed me along at the same rate of travel as the turkeys affording me the opportunity to capture several images.
I was rather excited to capture images of this Tufted Titmouse, a species I had yet to photograph.
With my paddling complete and my pack boat secured to the top of my car, I decided to hike a couple of the trails Pinery Provincial Park has to offer. I started at the Cedar Trail behind the Visitor Centre. Here I was delighted to see several Tufted Titmice. This is a bird I don’t see too often but I know is regularly observed by others within the park. Even more exciting, one of the birds perched nearby allowing me to capture several images of this species I had not previously photographed. Golden-crowned Kinglets and Hermit Thrushes were also readily seen from the Cedar Trail.
Eastern Phoebe
Having completed the 2.3 km Cedar Trail, I made my way over to the Heritage Trail. Immediately upon entering the trail I could see an abundance of Hermit Thrushes and a less common Wood Thrush. Winter Wrens, Blue Jays, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers were also seen as I navigated my way through the forest. What I really enjoyed about this trail is the wooden observation platform looking out over the Old Ausable Channel. From here, I located two Eastern Phoebes as they moved from limb to limb just above the surface of the water. Higher up in the treetops were more Yellow-rumped Warblers. As I was heading back to my car passing through a section of small White Pine trees, I flushed a Roughed Grouse.
Tufted Titmouse
With daylight and my energy level dwindling, it was time to call it a day. Incredibly satisfied with the birding, paddling, and hiking within Pinery Provincial Park, I could only wonder to myself why I waited so long to return. One thing is certain, it won’t be long before I return again. I have already made plans to visit this amazing park again this fall. If you have never visited Pinery Provincial Park, I highly recommend checking it out. Whether birding, paddling, hiking, cycling, or camping this great park offers something for everyone.
Good birding,
Paul
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With a stealth-like approach in my new pack boat, I was able to achieve excellent views of this Great Blue Heron.
Wanting to escape the humidity of the city, a change of scenery, and spend some quality time with my Dad, I decided to migrate to the family cottage for the summer. Working from home as a medical transcriptionist made this an easy move as it only meant packing a computer and purchasing a data plan to access the internet. With recent humidex values reaching the low 40s in most of Southwestern, Ontario, I know I made the right decision. Temperatures are much more comfortable at the cottage with shade from a large willow tree and a cool south breeze off the lake. Humidity is virtually nonexistent making time outside actually enjoyable.
Each summer, Mallard ducklings are abundant on the lake at the cottage.
Great birding exists at the cottage with plenty of birds on and around the lake, so in order to approach some of them in a different manner, I recently purchased a 14′ Prospector Pack Boat from Swift Canoe and Kayak. This boat is essentially a hybrid between and canoe and kayak. I plan on writing a follow-up post with more about the boat, why I chose it, and how I have it set up for photography. Until then, all I will say is I absolutely love this boat and am incredibly happy with my purchase.
Songbirds including this Eastern Kingbird were observed while paddling on Lake Couchiching.
With this pack boat, I can explore areas not accessible by foot or larger vessel resulting in some great photo opportunities. I made sure I was comfortable with the boat before taking my camera along and quickly realized how incredibly stable this boat is and I am not nervous at all about bringing my camera onboard.
Female Mallard watching over her young duckling.
For my first paddling adventure with my camera, I decided to head to an area on the lake where my dad used to take me and my two sisters as kids in a 16′ aluminum boat for one of his famous nature cruises. Back then, Dad would raise the outboard motor out of the water and we would paddle and push our way through the shallow water following the shoreline observing fish, turtles, ducks, herons, and a variety of other wildlife. This was always one of the highlights of my summer and helped spark my interest in nature at a young age.
Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye alerted me to this Green Heron. I was able to quietly approach and position myself for a photo.
Paddling this area in my pack boat was certainly much easier than it was back then and allowed me to get even closer to shore as I was able to better navigate the shallow water maneuvering over and around rocks, fallen logs, and stumps. With only the sound of the water dripping from my paddle, I was able to sneak up on wildlife with a stealth-like approach. Paddling so close to shore allowed me to see subjects that would otherwise go unnoticed in a larger powerboat.
American Mink.
The particular stretch of shoreline on Lake Couchiching I paddled is uninhabited as it is low lying and swampy consisting of a mix of cedar, white pine, and a variety of deciduous trees. As I made my way along, I was treated to up-close views of some interesting species. As usual, I was in search of birds but happy to photograph any wildlife that came into view. An American Mink was the only mammal seen as it foraged along the water’s edge.
Caspian Tern diving for its prey.
One of the things I like most about birding at the cottage is the opportunity to see and photograph birds not regularly found back home. Around the lake, Caspians Terns are readily observed in flight or diving into the water attempting to capture a meal. As I made my way along, one of these birds approached directly off my bow. Raising my camera and adjusting my exposure to compensate for the bright sky I obtained focus.
Caspian Tern emerging from the lake with a small fish.
What I thought was going to be just a typical flight shot quickly changed as the bird went into a full dive heading for the water at a high rate of speed. Keeping focus on the tern, I fired off as many frames as my Canon 7D is capable of as the bird plunged into the lake.
Upon closer look, the tern’s prey was, in fact, a Yellow Perch.
After a large splash, the tern emerged with a small fish, which after a closer look at the image was identified as a Yellow Perch. Seeing this unfold only a few metres away was quite spectacular and a view I could not achieve with any other approach but from the water.
On my first outing photographing wildlife from my new pack boat, I observed three juvenile Green Herons in areas otherwise inaccessible to birders and photographers.
All in all, I was completely satisfied with my maiden voyage. Not only did me and my camera stay above water, great views were achieved of several species in areas otherwise inaccessible. I am excited about this new approach to photography and am eager to get out paddling more in this and other areas around the lake. With several more weeks at the cottage this summer, including the beginning of fall migration, the birding opportunities seem almost endless and I look forward to capturing plenty of images with this new approach.
