Some of the behavioural patterns of animals are instinctive, which means they are inherited, in their genes. This goes for both simple and for more complex patterns like for instance mating behaviour.
Instinctive behaviour takes on different expressions for the different species. For instance eating behaviour of birds. Finding the right kind of food is learned, while how to eat is mostly instinctive.
The fellow in the picture is a very young great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) who has just learned how to fly. The fact this is a juvenile is shown by the red cap, that will disappear after 3-4 months. Two days before this image was taken the youngster was brought to the feeding place by his mother, who showed him this was food by actually putting it in his mouth! Later he came on his own to eat…
Woodpeckers use the tail for support when pecking, this is to achieve more impact. The use of tail is instinctive, and the bird in the image tries the best he can! However he has yet to learn that the tail must find some counter support for the whole idea to work!
The correct eating behaviour in this situation is shown by the adult male in the workshop image.
Hopefully you got an idea of the difference between learned and instinctive behaviour, both shown in this moment in nature…
CLODO, Budapestman, vasilpro, Bluejeans, Royaldevon, pierrefonds, mvdisco, eversmile, Vato_Law, pajaran, yedirenk, jhm, clic, adores, Cricri, gildasjan, Didi, paololg, gunbud, Graal, kordinator, maloutim, danos, josepmarin, PaulVDV, shevchenko, jlbrthnn, skippy007, agulberk, Angshu, Kielia, fds, cavli, kiks, Sonata11 has marked this note useful
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CLODO (26414) 2011-12-09 1:31
interesting note with the 2 pictures showing the differences between the young birds and adults. I suppose you were in a hide (maybe your house) to take this kind of picture.
Budapestman (82620) 2011-12-09 1:34
Hi Dear Pablo,
a beautiful portrait with lovely details and splendid colours, the composition is superb, excellent sharpness and lights, Tfs! Have a nice weekend! Kellemes hétvégét kívánok!
vasilpro (40557) 2011-12-09 2:13
Wonderful scene with that young woodpecker while enjoys his meal, excellent POV and timing, lovely light and colors, very good clarity and focus, TfS!
have a nice day, Vasilis.
ikeharel (43953) 2011-12-09 2:31
You wrote about animals/birds behavior, and it is a whole big subject to talk about - but yet when photo any such behavior - the outcome is astonishing.
Fabulous moment taken with the small "woody", vivid and colorful.
My cong.'s on the immaculate photo.
Bluejeans (64243) 2011-12-09 2:42
Ola Pablo ,
Linda foto com este magnifico pássaro , seu vermelho na cabeça e fantástico ,parabéns!
Um abraço Gonçalo
Royaldevon (21405) 2011-12-09 2:48
Good Morning Pablo,
A cracking shot accompanied by interesting notes.
We used to have great spotted woodpeckers visiting our garden, ocasionally, but have not seen them at all this year.
You have an excellent dof, which keeps the young bird sharply in focus against a usefull oof b/g.
Have a good day,
carper (96) 2011-12-09 3:06
that's a long time ago Pablo,
a marvelous birdshot here, well composed and a fantastic focus, good colors and fine job.
pierrefonds (50980) 2011-12-09 5:14
The bird is well placed in the frame. The point of view is showing the details and colors of the great spotted woodpecker. The morning light is enhancing the colors. Have a nice day.
Sergiom (45348) 2011-12-09 6:04
Un plan serré très réussi sur ce bel oiseau en plein travail. Un 300mm est très utile quand on ne veut pas déranger le sujet. J'aime le détail dans les plumes blanches sur le poitrail.
mvdisco (17116) 2011-12-09 7:07
Hi PaBlo , Bonjour,
A beautiful caught of view of this woodpecker,
Nice bokeh with a sharp picture,
good colors and tone with a nice composition,
very well done.
yquem46 (35304) 2011-12-09 7:08
razor sharp image full of details and crisp colors
I wonder how far from it you were ?
eversmile (11628) 2011-12-09 9:06
This is of an exceptional quality, for the sharpness and the situation seems-at least for me- unusual too. I love the very green and blurred background, in contrast with the bird's feathers. The colors have such a good pep! Your note is very instructive too, and I must add that your add in workshop is as great as the main one!
Vato_Law (12720) 2011-12-09 11:30
really really nice close up on this little fellow. The details are amazing and it's pin sharp with no flaws at all.
Also I like your interesting note, as always, and the story behind each photo, this one and the WS.
The smooth background and its tones are the perfect backdrop for this photo.
pajaran (41661) 2011-12-09 11:31
Vrlo interesantan i dobar tekst sa novim saznanjem o zivotu detlica ...
Dobar snimak mladog detlica koji je dosao da jede, lepa fotografija.
Dobra ostrina snimka, kontrast i prikaz lepim bojama, moje cestitke na ulovljenom trenutku.
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici.
Sve najbolje za vikend.
Very interesting and good article with new knowledge about the life of woodpecker ...
A good shot of a young woodpecker that came to eat, beautiful images.
Severity Good shot, nice contrast and display color, my congratulations for the captured moment.
Good work with beautiful photography in this workshop.
All the best for the weekend.
sacimar (25969) 2011-12-09 18:05
this is a beautiful image, I like this composition, colors are vivid and details of bird are impressive, you capture a good scene here, well done,
Have a good weekend,
yedirenk (11242) 2011-12-09 22:41
Hi dear Pablo,
a wonderful nature shot..very beautiful moment with lovely hungry bird..a masterpiece shot and presentation by you again.sharpness,light and depth are great.also with eye catcher colours.TFS
jhm (127927) 2011-12-10 0:27
I find your workshop picture the most beautiful, we see the woodpecker on a very lovely way.
Also these picture is wonderful, nevertheless a very shy bird.
Wonderful taken, lovely picture.
Very well done, TFS.
Have a nice weekend,
siudzi (27701) 2011-12-10 3:17
Wow! What a top quality shot! I'm really impressed of that. Very well executed. Bravo!
Have a nice weekend!
clic (12465) 2011-12-10 7:27
Thanks for your kind words Pablo
You show generosity of spirit for feeding not only squirrels but different species and it appears quite rewarding in this "anatomy lesson" expressed with vivid colors over an unobtrusive backdrop!
Touching scenery indeed.
adores (30805) 2011-12-10 8:31
Not squirrels this time, but it's surely a very good shot of this woodpecker. You must be really patient to wait for them and get good shots like this one:)!Great focus and a perfect green background. His pose is just perfect.I've also checked the WS - the photo and the explanation are really good!
Cricri (92123) 2011-12-10 9:07
Deux belles images du bébé et celui de l'adulte, superbe dans le cadrage, la netteté, les couleurs, une rencontre très sympathique, très bien mise en images
gildasjan (39558) 2011-12-10 10:31
Qu'il est beau le gros plan sur cet oiseau bien détaché devant cet arrière plan noyé dans le flou par la DOF.
Didi (51265) 2011-12-10 11:17
Only crows and pidgeons in my place.
Very good catch of the bird, nice sharp selective setting.
mauro61 (52545) 2011-12-10 12:00
una foto di grande qualità e di ottima riuscita per la difficoltà che c'è nel riprendere glli animali in libertà.
Splendidi i colori,
Nicou (105721) 2011-12-11 0:33
Fantastique cpatage de cet oiseua qui vien se régaler et se nourrir quel crête rouge quel plumage, merveilleux captage.
Bravo et amitié
paololg (31446) 2011-12-11 13:10
Sincere compliments, dear Pablo, you have posted two images really amazing, with incredible photo quality and above all accompanied by interesting and explanatory notes about the behavior of birds. BRAVO!
Ciao, have a nice week!
gunbud (34066) 2011-12-11 16:57
Magnificent close-up of this charming little fellow solving this culnary puzzle.
The bright red markings on his head are clear seen as is the texture and patterns on his feathers.
Love the muted green backdrop and your informative note as well.
Graal (92140) 2011-12-12 0:01
nice scene and portrait of bird. I like the WS also. Good DOF. An interesting comment in note.
Have a nice day.
jmdias (48333) 2011-12-12 0:57
nice view of this young bird, the sharpness and light are perfect, we can enjoy even the small details. nice note. TFS.
kordinator (14795) 2011-12-12 1:42
Wonderful scene with that young woodpecker.
Excellent POV and timing, lovely light and colors.
Perfectclarity and focus.
Ilike a lot this your image.
danyy (0) 2011-12-12 7:29
elles sont toujours agréables à regarder ces photos de petits animaux que tu prends. Soignée, d'taillée, le plumage apparait dans ses moindres détails.
Des couleurs vives et cette DOF faible qui donne toujours un relief.
maloutim (9467) 2011-12-12 17:10
What a lovely, interesting post of a juvenile woodpecker and of its father in WS ! The difference in looks and style is shown very well. The little fluffy one is so cute, but awkward in its manner, whereas the father is so elegant and stylish.
Thank you for this new treasure of nature life which is again so instructive and beautiful !
Waylim (23310) 2011-12-12 23:20
Beautiful photo and good note explaining the behavior of the different. I also need to learn the right eating with proper posture and sitting. I tend to slough and both arms on the table, sometimes I use my hands instead of folk and knif :) One of my bad habits.
I like the ws as much.
ChrisJ (91238) 2011-12-13 0:47
Very good sharpness on the bird with excellent use of a shallow dof. The neutral green bg makes a superb backdrop. Excellent graphism & a nice moment captured where the netting obstacle to the birdseed has been overcome. Tfs!
rodgerg (55767) 2011-12-13 2:20
Congratulations for this excellent and well coloured portrait. The nive vived color arise very well with a beautiful contrast between the bird and the BG. Good balalnce in the composition too with the bird well loacted.
DjoleEric (0) 2011-12-13 3:58
Good focus and nice
Excellent work with a good izlozensocu.
SWEETFREEDOM (19902) 2011-12-13 7:45
outstanding sharpness. we can see every detail of this little bird. great colors and background blur
danos (78056) 2011-12-14 0:29
Good morning Pablo,
excellent snapshot with the little feather fellow to be captured in this great pose.I like the light and the colour management as the clarity of the image with the blur backdrop to brings out the details of the bird.
Have a good day,danos
josepmarin (56475) 2011-12-14 3:03
WOW! You have forced your zoom to the maximum in order to catch with a great sharpness this young woodpecker, eating in the tree. We see with great detail his feathers, his beak, his eyes, and his beautiful colors.
It is a very fresh and natural image, which you have caught in an impeccable work.
PaulVDV (17229) 2011-12-14 13:03
Both pictures are of excellent quality!
Super sharpness of the birds and their meals. On the main picture I specially like the smaller feathers on the chest and the belly and also the nails of the bird.
The red head stands out beautifully on that green blurred background.
Best regards, Paul
shevchenko (18725) 2011-12-15 1:10
Nice to know that your side is always a habitat for animals, good discovery to a little bird that learning how to eat, informative note for study how to distinguish a young and old bird, and its living style too, distinct photo, good shoot.
jlbrthnn (79789) 2011-12-15 5:14
Your photo and your specialist note of birds is fascinating. What a magnificent images! With details of the plumage perfectly defined. Excellent work. Congratulations.
Have a nice day
La_Tulipe (2794) 2011-12-15 5:15
Dans une position peu confortable, ce petit oiseau semble bien peu intrigué par ta présence proche ....Une proximité qui permet de profiter des détails du plumage avec l'arrière plan flouté qui retient le regard sur le sujet principal bien éclairé et parfaitement cadré.
skippy007 (12504) 2011-12-15 18:17
Hello Pablo, Can start by saying that your WS photo is beautiful & merits it's own posting. This one is more interesting of course & just as beautiful & probably cuter. My first instinct was to turn the image clockwise 90 degrees, I wonder how that would have worked. A lovely image that is interesting & of excellent quality as far as sharpness, colour, bokeh & clarity.
wolf38 (29116) 2011-12-15 23:32
Hello GoncPablo. A wonderful photo. The woodpecker has an ideal opportunity here. And you had also a wonderful opportunity for this successful shot. The colors are fantastic. Altogether well done. Rgds wolfgang.
mesutilgim (72944) 2011-12-15 23:43
Hello dear Pablo,
This one is a real masterpiece !
Very well composed and captured. An entry with many good and usefull notes as well.
In my neighbourhood we have only bluetits, which I am keepinh healthy over the winter with flowerpost hung upside down on the branches of the trees and filled with a mixture of fat and cereals !
TFS and have a nice weekend
Giorgio (11279) 2011-12-16 0:19
- Very pretty composition with this expressive cheerful portrait excellent PoV in close-up and framing Pablo, impressive technical quality, well done!
Have a nice week-end.
Silvio1953 (105427) 2011-12-16 9:39
Ciao Pablo, lovely bird in nice pose on a beautiful blurry BG, excellent sharpness, fine details, wonderful light and splendid colors, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio
agulberk (3794) 2011-12-17 2:33
Hello Dear Pablo
A magnificent close-up. Perfect colors. Sharpness is excellent. Miraculously, an art-work. It, too, this wonderful little bird exhibits wonderful art of its glorious designer , inscriptor and art-Maker.... Great work. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good day.
"Among beings there is no work which is not a most meaningful embodied word and does not cause to be read numerous of the Glorious Maker's Names. Since beings are words, words of power, read their meanings and place them in your heart."
"inscription cannot exist without making known its inscriber, how is it that an inscriber who writes a huge book in a single letter and inscribes a thousand inscriptions in a single inscription, should not be known through his writing and through his inscribing?"
barrufeto_77 (28876) 2011-12-18 6:05
Excellent moment!!! The colours and the definitions are amazing as well!
My compliments as usual!
Angshu (52890) 2011-12-18 20:03
Noticeable difference between the adult & this juvenile! I learnt quite a few things about woodpeckers seeing your two pictures & reading your note. Fine shot using the long end of the zoom & the OOF green creates a fine BG.
Kielia (21521) 2011-12-19 5:37
very original and fascinating POV on one of my favorite birds! The composition is really excellent and the contrast of the colors is fantastic. I also enjoyed reading the entertaining note. My compliments!
serp2000 (33067) 2011-12-20 8:32
Good evening, Pablo,
Wow! Just a biologist report! Amazing capture of a woodpecker, splendid composition, fine green background! TFS!
Regards from Ural,
lakshmip1949 (19110) 2011-12-20 8:42
A lovely woodpecker in action. Like the blurry background. The colors and sharpness are superb. The details are well captured with perfect lighting.
fds (6315) 2011-12-21 9:17
dear friend this is a very beautiful moment with the fantastic colors and great scharpnees
ellelloo (6570) 2011-12-25 1:09
Two wonderful shot of woodpeckers accompanied with an excellent note. This main shot of a juvenile one is technically brilliant with its excellent DOF and sharpness and beautiful colours. A lovely shot!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
cavli (1874) 2011-12-26 2:23
very good note excelent!. nice picture too. very sharp and brillant picture. well seen.
kiks (11601) 2011-12-27 7:49
Not only the image is great but also the very informatieve note.
Thank you for that.
jemaflor (74044) 2011-12-28 10:03
Great close up, perfect sharpness, interesting attitude for the bird, bravo, well managed !
sacavem (18604) 2012-01-14 12:21
Your note is excellent, no doubt a great contribution to better understand the picture.
The photo quality is very good with the lens to 300mm.Great sharpness on subject with blurred background...excellent job.
batalay (33393) 2012-01-24 21:32
The resolution is so sharp in your photo that an ornithologist could analyze the every external detail of this bird. It is remarkable what a great camera in the hands of skilled photographer can produce. Warm regards,
Sonata11 (31203) 2012-03-22 20:59
Gorgeous shot. Perfectly executed. Awesome focus!!! Perfectly well done.
- Copyright: Pablo Minto (pablominto) (53744)
- Genre: Places
- Medium: Color
- Date Taken: 2011-07-05
- Categories: Nature
- Camera: Nikon D300, Nikkor 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VRII
- Exposure: f/6.3, 1/320 seconds
- More Photo Info: view
- Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
- Theme(s): FEATHERS OR FOUR LEGS, Somptuous animal world [view contributor(s)]
- Date Submitted: 2011-12-09 1:24