Green Woodpecker by Philip Smith
Green Woodpecker, Lacock, Wiltshire (Photo: Philip Smith)
'A shot with a difference' is how I'd describe this Green Woodpecker by Philip Smith; perched on the side of a lichen-covered stone cross, presumably in a graveyard, it's an unusual image that grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it. In terms of composition, it shows that birds don't have to be huge in the frame to make a winning picture.
I love the cross being the dominant feature, but as your eye wanders it picks up the bird clinging to the side. I don't know if the woodpecker was searching for insects in the lichen or if it had been disturbed while feeding on the ground, but Phil has done well with the framing and the sharpness considering the dull light and relatively slow shutter speed.
Congratulations to the photographer for his winning Photo of the Week, for which he used a 500 mm lens, 1.4× converter and shot at 1/400th second, f7.1 aperture on ISO 500.
You can read more on bird photography from Steve Young, including product reviews and a regular Photo Challenge for readers, every month in Birdwatch magazine.
Other notable images
Buzzard, undisclosed site, Essex (Photo: Pixellence)
Snow Bunting, Cairn Gorm, Highland (Photo: Peter Walkden)
Sparrowhawk, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire (Photo: Andrew Moon)
Kestrel, undisclosed site, Lancashire (Photo: Austin Thomas)
Great Grey Shrike, Crabtree Hill, Gloucestershire (Photo: Pete Blanchard)
Wren, Wigan, Greater Manchester (Photo: Roy Rimmer)
Spectacled Petrel, South Africa (Photo: Dave J)
Short-eared Owl, Isle of Sheppey, Kent (Photo: Les Foster)
Little Egret, Kidwelly, Carmarthen (Photo: Wayne Davies)
Pine Grosbeak, Finland (Photo: Jon Mercer)
Brambling, Spain (Photo: Natalino Fenech)
Long-tailed Duck, Kirkcaldy, Fife (Photo: Steve Curtis)
Coal Tit, Abernethy Forest RSPB, Highland (Photo: Jeff Lack)
