There is a joy in watching these acrobatic birds trying their utmost to get a meal. The male (shown here with the red patch on the back of the neck, the female has an all-black crown and neck) and female have been coming to the peanut feeder, extracting pieces of peanut and then flying into the trees, presumably to feed their young.
These splendid birds will hopefully bring their young to feed once they fledge and I will be treated to red-crowned youngsters dangling from the feeders!
Isn't he a handsome thing! Very nice pics John.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat. He seems to be using his tail to advantage in holding stable on that feeder, John.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots John, you must have been to Fineshade today.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! I only get fleeting glimpses of them in my garden but until this year they had never (to my knowledge) visited at all so fleeting is better than nothing :)
ReplyDeleteHi Sally,
ReplyDeleteMany thanks. Yes, he is a handsome bird, I think he thinks the same!
J
Hi Rob,
ReplyDeleteI think they use their tail in all sorts of situations to aid in balance, whether it be climbing a tree or, as in this case clinging on to a feeder upside down!
J
Hi Roy,
ReplyDeleteThere`s no pulling the wool over your eyes is there!
J
Hi Jan,
ReplyDeleteWe only get brief visits in our garden as well, although we do hear the young begging in the trees behind our house, so you never know!
As you say, any view is better than none at all! ;)
J
That is the most scrumptious Woodpecker, well done John.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob!
ReplyDeleteJ
Great stuff John. I have only had one very brief visit from a woodpecker about a year ago.
ReplyDeleteThanks John,
ReplyDeleteSome gardens seem to have more than their fair share of these birds, it seems a little unfair that the rest have to go without! ;)
J
You won't believe this John. Within an hour of saying I hadn't seen one for over year I spotted a youngster pretending a telephone pole was a tree ;)
ReplyDeleteHi John,
ReplyDeleteWow! Young birds are pretty daft when first venturing out into the big wide world. Having said that, I have seen adults perched on telegraph poles before now, but that was in early Spring and they were using it for `drumming`!
Glad you have seen one more recently now! ;)
J
Love these a lot John,don't get many visits to our garden.
ReplyDeleteSuper Digiscoping,with superb results.
John.
Thanks John, you really are too kind!
ReplyDeleteJ