Too much backlighting

This rotten snag in our hundred-year-old Western Dogwood attracts the dusky, northern version of the Downey Woodpecker, as well as this fellow and his mate. Here I've caught him probing the rotten wood with his tongue, presumably seeking grubs. In addition to overexposing the image around the bird's crest, the early morning sun gleams through the shower of fibers from the shredded snag. On fresher wood, it's chips that fly as these huge woodpeckers chop away.

Last updated 12/23/13