While out photographing the new Canadian Goose goslings for the year, I heard a terrible racket not far from me. Trying to avoid stressing out the geese, I decided to take a break and go investigate the noise. I found an old dead tree with what initially appeared to be a mother woodpecker feeding her baby in the nest. After a few minutes of shooting the event, it became apparent that the bird in the nest was too big to be a chick.
It turns out that it was two female Northern Flickers (Colaptes Auratus) fighting over a nesting hole. Actually, there was a third Northern Flicker in the fight, and I am assuming it was the mate of the attacking female.
During the course of the battle, the attacking Flicker managed to wedge her body halfway into the nesting hole. Unfortunately for her, while trying to squeeze into the hole, she lost her egg and it fell to the ground. After losing her egg, she lost interest in the nest and the fight was over.
I got one last shot of the original Northern Flicker poking her head out looking for her attacker. Shortly after, she calmed down and settled back into her nest.
So while out shooting, be aware of your surroundings and always be on the lookout for other shooting opportunities. Don’t become so engrossed in what you are photographing that you miss something even better or place yourself in harm’s way.
