Woodpeckers in Fort Sheridan

While hiking around Fort Sheridan I heard a barking sound from one of 

the trees and spotted an unusually large woodpecker with a red head (cleverly 

named red-headed woodpecker). Luckily, the unique woodpecker remained in view

 for a short while with an orange tree behind it, and I was able to walk away with a 

photograph I was satisfied with. At the other side of the prairie preserve I heard another 

barking sound and again spotted an unusually large woodpecker, although this time with 

only a red spot on its head (red-bellied woodpecker) and also perched much higher up.

I was trying to rationalize why I liked bird photography the other day, and I came to the

 conclusion that  there was nothing specifically about birds that I like but rather the idea of 

capturing an image that you normally wouldn't be able to see because birds are small and 

usually keep there distance from humans. There's also a "collector's"element to it where there's

 nice to discover a bird that I haven't photographed before.

Fort Sheridan

Taken in October 2012