Thursday, April 9, 2015

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

This big fella is called a Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Well, it might not be a fella, maybe it's a girl. I saw this bird trying to eat at the bell feeder once, but it was just too big for it. It came to the new feeder several times before I was finally able to get any pictures.

This is a pretty big bird, perhaps twice the size of a Cardinal. When he shows up the other birds leave the feeder immediately. I suspect this is the bird that destroyed the last of my bell feeders. It's about the right size. All I saw was a blur when it happened so maybe I'm accusing the wrong bird.


The picture above is blurred because of the motion of the bird's head. I like it though because it shows the bird's mouth wide open and you can see its tongue.


I've had a few weeks now since I took these pictures, and this bird has been coming to the feeder on most days. I miss the Cardinals, but I have at least one new bird to replace them. I love Woodpeckers of all kinds so this is a nice treat to have another one visiting my feeder.

I've had pictures of Red-Bellied Woodpeckers in the past, but not for several years now until I got this one. I'm glad to see that there are a few more birds coming around. I still think there aren't many birds in the area for some reason. That's why I was reluctant to get a feeder in the first place.

I'm still not getting a huge variety of birds, but as you can see I'm getting more than enough to keep me busy. I'm at least getting plenty of posts to write. The weather is warming up nicely and I'll be off on some better adventurers soon. And maybe I can still get some stuff from the feeder to fill in at times. I'll talk to you later.

12 comments:

  1. I knew you would see woodpeeckers with the suet addition. These always greet me when I hike in the woods.

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  2. they are so big and so beautiful!!! now that he has found you, i don't think he will be leaving anytime soon!!!!

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  3. we have tons of northern woodpeckers around Tampa, but I haven't seen one at my feeders in ages...ahhh...I think since I removed the wooden, flat surfaces and replaced them with hard plastic. They were probably after the mites and critters living in the wood. (I'm so smart)

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  4. Love those photos. They even drive the bluejays away.

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  5. yes this one's a girl (the male has a red stripe from beak to nape of the neck whereas the female has the gray break on the forehead.) :)

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  6. A nice new addition to the birds that visit your feeder. These are great shots.

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  7. That woodpecker does look a little scary (or might if I were another, smaller bird).

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  8. I enjoy Red-bellied woodpeckers here year round. You got some great photos. They like suet cakes (try my homemade recipe posted on my blog) and Black Oil Sunflower Seeds.
    Northern Cardinals will often go MIA when the weather warms up. They will be back.

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  9. The more you feed, the more birds you will see. But you have to stay committed. Mess around with the type of feed you serve and you will attract different birds.

    I have found that I put a suet feeder elsewhere in the yard so the woodpeckers can feed separately. Some are more timid than others, and they sorta like their own feeding station.

    Put out peanuts to attract blue jays.

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  10. What a destroyer it is, but nevertheless it is pretty, or handsome.

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