{"id":53344,"date":"2018-08-03T05:19:27","date_gmt":"2018-08-03T11:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=53344"},"modified":"2023-09-05T08:52:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T14:52:48","slug":"downy-woodpecker-close-up-in-the-wasatch-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/03\/downy-woodpecker-close-up-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Downy Woodpecker Close Up In The Wasatch Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DownyDowny Woodpecker close up – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Who knew that Downy Woodpeckers have eyes the color of a fine Cognac? I didn’t until I took this Downy Woodpecker close up in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> one month ago.<\/p>\n

I had been photographing Yellow Warblers, Cedar Waxwings and Gray Catbirds when I heard a familiar call from a distance then saw a black and white bird fly in close to where I sat inside of a mobile blind. I hoped to get a photo of the bird I heard which I knew to be a Downy Woodpecker but what I didn’t expect was just how close the woodpecker would be when it popped into my view, it was probably less than 20 feet away and at that point I knew I couldn’t fit the whole body of the downy in my viewfinder even if I took my teleconverter off and so I opted to take close ups of the Downy’s face, head and upper body instead.<\/p>\n

The Downy Woodpecker was only in plain view for a few seconds and I only took two photos that I liked and this is one of them. Both images showed the iris of the small woodpecker nicely and while reviewing the photos on my camera LCD I could see that they were the color of a fine Cognac.<\/p>\n

In late June before I photographed this Downy Woodpecker the American Ornithological Society (AOS) split the woodpecker genus Picoides and the Downy Woodpecker changed from the scientific name Picoides pubescens<\/em> to Dryobates pubescens<\/em><\/span><\/a> which probably doesn’t mean much to most people who might be viewing this post but I thought it should be mentioned because in the world of birders it is kind of a big thing.<\/p>\n

I do wish I would have had a little bit more time with this Downy Woodpecker but it disappeared into the bushes and I could only get obstructed views of it. I do see these small woodpeckers at home though I have found that they can be hard to photograph there because by the time I get out the door with my camera they are usually long gone.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Downy Woodpecker photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who knew that Downy Woodpeckers have eyes the color of a fine Cognac? I didn’t until I took this Downy Woodpecker close up in the Wasatch Mountains one month ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":115657,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2142,1731,26,773],"tags":[4004,3940,4142,193,2143,4062,4069,6690,5906,2315,4777,2146],"class_list":["post-53344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-downy-woodpeckers","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-adult","tag-canyon","tag-close-up","tag-downy-woodpecker","tag-dryobates-pubescens","tag-male","tag-mountains","tag-picoides-pubescens","tag-riparian-zone","tag-summer-3","tag-woodpecker","tag-woodpeckers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-close-up-mia-mcpherson-0696.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dSo","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":73003,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/08\/22\/immature-male-downy-woodpecker-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":53344,"position":0},"title":"Immature Male Downy Woodpecker Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 22, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"A few weeks ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains I was able to see and photograph an immature male Downy Woodpecker as it foraged for food in willows and while clinging to a Common Mullein.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Close up of an immature male Downy Woodpecker, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-immature-male-close-up-mia-mcpherson-8977.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-immature-male-close-up-mia-mcpherson-8977.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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"Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Downy Woodpecker female in a natural spotlight, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/downy-woodpecker-female-light-dark-mia-mcpherson-6388.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/downy-woodpecker-female-light-dark-mia-mcpherson-6388.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/downy-woodpecker-female-light-dark-mia-mcpherson-6388.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/downy-woodpecker-female-light-dark-mia-mcpherson-6388.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5744.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5744.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5744.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-male-mia-mcpherson-5744.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59785,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/08\/29\/photographing-a-male-downy-woodpecker-in-a-chokecherry-tree\/","url_meta":{"origin":53344,"position":3},"title":"Photographing A Male Downy Woodpecker In A Chokecherry Tree","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 29, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When I noticed the Downy Woodpecker moving towards the front part of the tree I changed my focus to it and waited to see if he would come out into the open and when it did I was ready to takes images of him.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Downy Woodpecker clinging to a chokecherry tree, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-male-chokecherry-tree-mia-mcpherson-5898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-male-chokecherry-tree-mia-mcpherson-5898.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-male-chokecherry-tree-mia-mcpherson-5898.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/downy-woodpecker-male-chokecherry-tree-mia-mcpherson-5898.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":132335,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/13\/young-downy-woodpecker-defensive-behavior\/","url_meta":{"origin":53344,"position":4},"title":"Young Downy Woodpecker Defensive Behavior","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Imagine you are a young Downy Woodpecker, just a couple of months old. You fly to a suet feeder to get food to eat and suddenly get hit by another woodpecker.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Downy Woodpecker in defensive pose, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0239.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0239.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0239.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/downy-woodpecker-immature-mia-mcpherson-0239.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":127936,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/04\/26\/spring-female-and-male-downy-woodpecker-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":53344,"position":5},"title":"Spring Female and Male Downy Woodpecker Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It started off rainy yesterday morning, but later on, I was delighted to take images of female and male Downy Woodpeckers from the comfort of Steve's deck.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring male Downy Woodpecker, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/downy-woodpecker-adult-spring-male-mia-mcpherson-1128.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/downy-woodpecker-adult-spring-male-mia-mcpherson-1128.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/downy-woodpecker-adult-spring-male-mia-mcpherson-1128.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/downy-woodpecker-adult-spring-male-mia-mcpherson-1128.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}