Woodpeckers!

In addition to all the "normal" and "boring" birds we've had at the birdfeeders lately, there's been some real excitement (ok, excitement for me).

First was a black and white bird that, at initial glance I assumed was one of the white-breasted nuthatch that are no longer exciting and new. Then I realize it didn't have as much blue-gray to it, and there was a vibrant red spot on it's head! A quick search through the bird book revealed it to be either a downy woodpecker or a hairy woodpecker (seems most of the difference is a matter of a few inches in height). Very cool and exciting! These pictures were taken around 1:20pm, January 17th...



A couple hours later, with the camera on the coffee table ready for any more shots of the the downy woodpecker (I'm assuming it's a downy based on smaller size and not-too-long beak), "he" showed up again... The camera says I took these at 4:06pm, and I was more excited at the opportunity to get more/better pictures, and didn't pay attention to the details. It wasn't til after I pulled the pics onto the computer yesterday, and saw them blown up, that I noticed something - no red spot on the back of the head! Unlike the bird in the pictures above, THIS downy woodpecker is a female!



And then a week or so later I came home from work one day, opened up the backdoor blinds, and realized I was being watched by a VERY startled, and considerably larger black, red and white bird - this one had more white, and a MUCH brighter, MUCH bigger red spot covering it's entire head! It watched me very closely - before I could get to the camera, it took off...but I paid attention to the details and was able to determine it was a red-bellied woodpecker. (Check ou the pic at that link!) WAY COOL! I sent off a very excited email to a number of bird-watching friends, and have had an eye open for a follow up visit ever since. No such luck. :(

I thought my luck changed less than an hour ago. I was sitting there playing with the new cable box settings when something big, black, white and red landed on the bird feeder with a couple funny squack noises. It must be the red-belli...waitasec! That's not the same kind of bird! The camera was upstairs with both the card and the battery out - there was NO WAY I could move across the room without being spotted and spooking the bird. I yelled for Brett - but he had his headphones on listening to podcasts and was using the powerdrill in the closet with new shelving. DAMN! NO PROOF! The bird sat there, making Tucker nervous and me excited, and then took off. Crap! Whipped open the bird book, and confirmed I'd had a visit by a pileated woodpecker! SO COOL! Blabbered on about it to Brett, retrieved the camera, and got a few pics of the bird hopping around on one of the trees way back past the property line:


Yeah, see - you can barely make it out. Bummer. Oh well - I had proof, and didn't expect any more excitement for awhile, deciding to get back into trying to figure out why I can't set up series recordings with the DVR when something big blurred past the window and must've landed on the roof at the edge of the house.

Ok, this time I was ready. Sure, whatever it was couldn't just been a bluejay, or it could've flown past the house and across the street, or...

It could come back, squawking, and land right there on the birdfeeder! I fired up the camera and before taking time to zoom in, I got some pictures - JUST IN CASE it took off again!



(You can see Tucker's ears on the far side of the sofa - I don't know what he thinks of these huge birds!)

And I was in luck - it, no, SHE, was hanging out a bit! (I'd looked at the difference of the birds in the book before she returned - no red moustache, and a dark spot on the forehead...)




VERY COOL! And even cooler? She stayed just long enough for me to get a bit of video!