Northern Flicker by Jeffrey Kauffman

[Donkees]

Location: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Behind the Shot: This was my second year photographing Northern Flickers as they raised their chicks. The most challenging part was trying to get both mom and dad in the same frame during feeding—they shoot out of their nest cavity like rockets. After a few days, I caught on to their routines. I intentionally kept the camera in silent shutter mode to use the rolling shutter, giving an effect on the fast-moving wings of being a little curved. I really like the effect and continue to use when I can. When the Northern Flickers show up in the spring, they become the main talking point in our home for the next few months.

2022 Audubon Photography Top 100 Awards: #12

Camera: Sony Alpha 7R IV with a Sony FE 600mm F/4 GM OSS lens; 1/4000 second at f/4; ISO 6400

[Sanity Claws]

1. Absolutely beautiful

The wings in flight are stunning. I never knew that the wing feathers were partly yellow.

[Donkees]

2. In the east, they are yellow

https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-sibleys-id-toolkit/northern-flicker-color-differences/

[Mousetoescamper]

3. Is this your photo?

[Donkees]

4. No, I posted two of the top 100 Audubon Photography winners

[Mousetoescamper]

6. Okay. Jeffrey Kauffman is a well-known professional videographer in my city. I didn't know he'd...

placed #12 in the Audubon photo awards for his fantastic photo of flickers.

[Donkees]

7. These were the additional ''top 100'' of 10,000 entries ... ''in no particular order''

Reviewing anonymous image and video files, three panels of expert judges selected eight stunning winners and five honorable mentions. (Spoiler alert: It was a great year for grouse).

We couldn't stop there, with so many more exceptional shots—and exceptional birds—worth sharing. So we’ve selected 100 additional photos to feature. Displayed in no particular order, these photos give just a taste of birds' glorious variety. They also showcase a wide array of techniques used by wildlife photographers, as captured in entertaining and thoughtful “behind the shot” stories that accompany each image.

https://www.audubon.org/news/the-2022-audubon-photography-awards-top-100

[hatrack]

5. That's a mind-blowing shot!

We try and keep the suet blocks topped up so that they'll keep coming, and they do. Not as often as the red-bellies, but I like them too (my other favorite woodpecker).