Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed woodpecker at Huntley Meadows Park on September 19, 2019. I have been spending quite a bit of time at this particular park in Virginia recently due to an increase in various heron and egret activity. I have been there 7 times in the last month or so. The red-headed woodpeckers nest at the far end of the boardwalk where all the activity normally is so it is easy to keep an eye on their location. While the wading bird activity was slow that day, I spent a little time right off the boardwalk trying to get some shots of them.

This particular adult flew up right in front of me, perhaps 25 feet up at the top of the tree. I shot a burst and hoped one would come out. If you look carefully, you can see a bit of detail in the eye. The other noticeable thing is the small marks on the tree, indicating these woodpeckers are frequently there.

Lens - Tamron 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 @ 600mm on Nikon D500