Lucky - a good camera helps but practice photographing and stalking the birds helps too. This is my second summer with my camera and I go for photo walks at least twice a week, if it's not raining. I practice walking up to the birds one step at a time. They look away, I step, freeze, take another step, freeze (and take a picture every step 'cause you never know when they will scare or just plain decide to move.) I usually do this in the same area, so partly it's me getting better and partly it's the birds getting used to me. The woodpeckers are noisy, making them easy to find so I pratice on them a lot. I swear they are starting to see me and go ,"oh, that thing again, ignore it, it's harmless."
That woodpecker shot was taken from only a couple feet away, broad daylight, no blind or anything. Of course, other birds take off if I get within a mile of them and no pictures.