Each week @nelinoeva hosts a themed contest in the Feathered Friends Community. There are some great prizes. This week's theme is SMALL BIRDS. You can see the contest rules here
My post is not a contest entry and although I prefer taking bird photos away from the feeders, sometimes the feeders make it so much easier to capture these beauties! These photos are all taken through the window. They refuse to come close if I'm outdoors.
There are 4 different woodpeckers that visit my feeders regularly. Red-bellied, Hairy, Downy, and the Northern flicker. The Pileated woodpecker is a much rarer visitor.
This Red-bellied woodpecker is enjoying the suet feeder. I always feel that this bird deserves a better name. It has to be at just the right angle to see the little patch of red on the lower part of its belly.
2 different woodpeckers. The Red-bellied and a little Downy Woodpecker. Note the size difference.
And now on to the big guy! The Pileated Woodpecker doesn't visit my feeder often, but when he does he commands attention. It's rather like having a cat land on the feeder!
I hear them occasionally banging away on trees, but rarely see them, so it was thrilling to see him at my feeder.
Here he is for us to compare his size to the Hairy woodpecker.
This photo shows the size of the Hairy compared to a small sized chickadee.
The medium sized Hairy and small Downy Woodpeckers have almost identical markings, the main difference is their size. Here are a male and female Downy at the feeder. The male is the one with a red spot on his head.
The Northern flicker is a medium sized woodpecker that is the only one my woodpecker visitors that migrates south when the weather gets cold.
It's good to see them again! Spring is on the way!
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