Red-bellied Woodpecker on Suet After an Arkansas Snow

Snow changes everything in my yard. The ground goes quiet, and the feeders get busy fast.

This red-bellied woodpecker showed up on my old, weathered suet log and gave me a clean, simple winter frame.

Wildlife Notes

A red-bellied woodpecker is a regular in my part of Arkansas, but snow makes the visit feel brand new. When natural food gets covered, suet becomes a dependable stop.

This bird worked the side of the log like it owned it. Woodpeckers use stiff tail feathers for support, and you can see how locked-in the posture is. It braces, leans, and probes, then moves a few inches and does it again.

For quick ID cues, I look for the black-and-white “ladder” pattern on the back and wings, plus the pale face. The red on the head stands out even more against snow. On males, that red typically runs from the bill over the crown, which matches what I’m seeing here.

If you’ve been following my snowy yard bird run, here are the earlier posts from the same stretch of weather:

• Male Northern Cardinal in the snow
• Female Northern Cardinal in the snow
• Harris’s Sparrow feeding in the snow
• American Goldfinch at my feeder in the snow
• Dark-eyed Juncos after the first snow

Photography Notes

I made this photo from my deck rail using a beanbag. That support matters, even with a fast shutter speed, because it keeps the frame steady while I wait for the head angle I want.

Gear and settings

• Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
• Lens: Canon RF 200–800mm F6.3–9 IS USM
• Focal length: 481mm
• Aperture: f/10
• Shutter speed: 1/2500 sec
• ISO: 4000
• Exposure compensation: +2
• Support: beanbag on deck rail

The snow pushed this toward a high-key look, and that is what I wanted. I used +2 exposure compensation to keep the snow bright instead of dull gray. The tradeoff is that you have to watch highlights and protect the red on the head. I try to ride that line so the background stays clean, but the bird keeps detail.

Composition-wise, I like how the log fills the left side and the bird rides the edge on the right. The negative space makes the red crown pop, and it leaves room for the viewer’s eye to breathe.

Closing

Winter yard birds can feel repetitive until a storm hits. Then it turns into a fresh photo project right outside the door.

I’ll keep the suet hanging on this old log. It keeps the action predictable, and it gives me a consistent perch that photographs well.