Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendropocus major)

For me, this one fails the test due to the missed focus.  Composition and exposure are fine.  That said, I would tuck this one away to be deleted only when, at some future date, I would be lucky enough to have it all come together with a sharper version.  Small birds offer only a short window of time for the photographer to snap the image due to their skittish nature and so we often tend to rush things by depressing the shutter button all the way, before the lens has had time to focus; a photographic version of 'buck fever' that I too have succumbed to all too often.  Persevere though, your patience will eventually reward you.  Best, LM.

Len,

I greatly appreciate your analysis about the focus of this image.

The ugly truth is that I shot this woodpecker through a double pane glass window under an upward angle.....  IMO that's the main reason why the slight unsharpness of its body has occurred.

Thank you very much for your interesting input.

cheers

Sam