Need ID---Is it a bird or animal? D2X first shots

[GeeJay]

At sunset tonight I saw a gorgeous, huge woodpecker out on a tree so ran out back to get a shot.. Had the 17-55 on my brand new D2X just sitting there in the kitchen. The woodpecker flew away but I got this picture of the trees where the woodpecker had been.

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Then I turned around and got a shot of the lake that is also behind our house but still no woodpecker in sight. Also notice that the sky looks funny in this downsized picture..It sure didn't look this way with all the D2X megapixels. ( still no woodpecker even though I'd seen him darting around in the trees close to me)

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At this point I wanted to try the 80-400VR so ran back in to get that lens.
As soon as I got back and attached the lens I saw this petrified bird head sitting there right in front of me.

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On closer inspection and moving back from it I realized it wasn't a bird but was some kind of animal.

Can anyone ID this bird/animal I found in my backyard? It must be on the endangered list here in Florida because haven't seen this one before. Actually it's turning out that my backyard is better than Ding Darling or the Venice Rookery..

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Gaye

 

[dmwphoto]

woodpeckersomthingorotheridontist, very rare

 

[Flew]

Gaye,

I knew that answer, but blasted Dave beat me to it.... :lol:

Nice shots. The weird pattern in the sky is puzzling. What size (or quality or whatever the setting is) .jpg did you save these shots as? I usually use quality 12. Makes for bigger files, but still generally in the 250-500K range.

BTW, did you see my post about the shoot in June at Merritt? Hope you can make it. ;-)

Regards,

Frank

 

[David Collignon]

Hey gaye, check that picture again.......I thought I seen him blink.

And don't read those posts by Doug........he is just tyring to get me in trouble HAHA.

Have a wonderful evening
Dave

 

[GeeJay]

Hey Frank,
Darn, we leave for our summer in Michigan on May 31st...and gone until after Labor day...so will miss the shoot..........but I'll catch the next one.. but take your mosquito netting along with your 'no seeum spray' in June when you come down here...

Thanks for the #12 setting idea too. I'll check that. Think I'm at 10.

Gaye

 

[greyflash]

Stiff necked woody for sure. They are indigenous to swampy areas and you are fortunate to see one. Nicely done Gaye. Oh, like your other shots as well.

 

[GeeJay]

Actually that 'stiff necked woody' is part of a Cypress knee. We have a 'Cypress Preserve' in our backyard and it's full of Cypress knees..Some of them look pretty funny but this one is the most strange. The good part is that it will stay there and I can decorate it for the holidays... You haven't seen the last of this fella.

Now must get back to serious things like the D2X internal settings.

Gaye

 

[GeeJay]

Frank, where is your post about the Merritt Island shoot in June. I can't find it??

thanks, GAYE

 

[Flew]

Frank, where is your post about the Merritt Island shoot in June. I can't find it??

thanks, GAYE

In the Announcements forum. We'll actually be there late on the 29th of May, and stay through June 5th.

Frank

 

[PhotoDawg]

woodpeckersomthingorotheridontist, very rare

LOL!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: