Pileated woodpeckers are notoriously hard to photograph. They’re fast flyers, constantly move, and position themselves away from humans. Although there are many great photos of these magnificent birds, it takes a lot of patience to have the opportunity at capturing a great image. The other day while walking through the woods, I was presented with the opportunity to capture the image below! Here’s how it happened…
After a busy day of running around, I decided to step out into nature to clear my mind. I decided to head over to Winslow Park in Freeport, Maine. Although it can get busy in the summer, it’s still one of my favorite spots to photograph birds. While walking one of the outer trails by the ocean, I had the opportunity to photograph some common birds such as a Lincoln’s sparrow and Eastern bluebird.
After walking for about 45 minutes, I was nearing the end of my walk and decided to head home for dinner. Just as I was about to walk out of the woods, I heard wings flapping and looked up. I saw a large pileated woodpecker fly right by me and perch on the side of a tree. This filled me with excitement since this bird has been on my photography bucket list.
I followed the woodpecker around the trails of Winslow Park trying to be patient. I tried time and time again to get a decent photo but struggled to get anything worth keeping. After about a half hour of failed attempts, I spotted it flying along the coast. I pulled out my camera and took a burst of photos right as it flew between two trees giving me the shot featured above. I feel grateful to be presented with such a cool opportunity!
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Ps. patience really does pay off 😉
