I found something new and interesting while I was on my way down my favorite walkway to the fishing platform. I wanted to relax and watch the lake for awhile before I resumed my little hike of the day. My short rest was going to have to wait, because something good caught my attention.I was halfway down the wooden path to the platform, when I heard something very interesting. It was the same rapid knocking sounds that I've been hearing a lot lately in this forest. The difference this time was that the knocking sound was very close to me.
I knew what the sound was because of the handy signs all through this nature preserve. It was the sound of a Downy Woodpecker, and as I said, it was very close. I stopped and began to scan the trees to my right. I saw it after about twenty seconds, halfway up one of the closest trees.
There it was perched on a small branch just pecking away at it! This was very good for me, because I've never seen a woodpecker before. I've heard them for many years, and I knew they were in this forest, but I had no idea what one might look like.I looked at the signs in the park already, but I didn't pay very much attention to the bird on it. It didn't matter until I actually got to see one anyway. At first, when I saw the bird I didn't know what it was, because it took a second to understand just what I was seeing.
It took me only a split second though to match the pecking motion it was making with the name of woodpecker. It's amazing how fast they move when they peck at a tree looking for their latest meal. The pictures I have here were taken as the bird was in mid peck. They're a little dark, but you can still get a good look.
The downy woodpecker is the smallest and the most common kind of woodpecker in North America. An adult male is marked with a patch of red on the top of it's head. The female is black and gray. The male also seems to keep the best feeding areas for itself. It will chase females away if they try to share these spots.I'll share more information about these woodpeckers in the weeks to come, as I'm sure I'll see more of them. There are too many of them to miss for very long, and this one seemed unconcerned that I was there. I think I'll be able to get more pictures of these birds without any problems. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them!
That is how a woodpecker looks like. All children seems to think the only one they know is Woody... the Woodpecker..
ReplyDeleteThe Downy is such a cute woodpecker. They are one of the most tame and don't seem bothered too much by human presence. You took some great photos of it too. There will be tons of birds for you to see with May coming. May is the month of the birds!! You will have more photos than you know what to do with. ;o)
ReplyDeleteRatty one of my favourite birds (woodpeckers). Usually in the UK they are difficult to photograph. This one seems quite tolerant of you being around.
ReplyDeleteI'll enjoy your photos for now. I have one tapping on a tree in the yard right now but we got that snowstorm and temps are below freezing so I'm in no hurry to go outside this morning.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your photos. We have one a woodpecker using our bird feeder at the moment and thanks to you I now know what he or she is.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed learning more about them.
You have captured a woodpecker whereas I just managed to fool around with a circular hole. Haha...
ReplyDeleteI love them. If you hang suet at a birdfeeder, they will come all day long. We have had one at our suet all winter. Aren't they neat?
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know that we went to the edge of our lake this morning and heard all kinds of noise..it was the ice breaking up in the wind, just like you heard it that day in your post! I thought about you right away...it was the first time I heard this! I hope to take some pictures later and post it as another sign of spring here, but wanted to tell you I heard it. So. Cool!
The Retirement Chronicles
Great find, Ratty! We have downies, hairies, red-bellieds, and the occasional flicker here. Still hooping for a red-headed or pileated woodpecker, too! (We had a pileated colony next door to our home in Nashville, and I still miss them.) We do set out suet, but we find that our woodpeckers will eat regular seed at our cabin and tube feeders, too!
ReplyDeleteThis photos are really incredible, Thank you for share them. This is a good material for start children that don’t know how to read into the narrative world, I mean for developing reading skills.
ReplyDeletecreative web design
I've heard them, but never actually seen on e in the wild. Lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteKruel - Woody is the only one I used to know too. I think of him whenever I hear these birds out in the forest.
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Kallen - I'll be looking forward to May then! I have been noticing more and more birds lately. I was hoping it wasn't temporary. These little woodpeckers sometimes will fly right by me. They've been some of the easiest birds for me so far.
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Mike - They're one of my favorite too. These downy woodpeckers don't seem the least bit shy around me. I guess they're just social birds.
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WiseAcre - We had the snowstorm too. I chose to ignore it this time. I'm hoping that this will be the last one now.
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Mountain Woman - I'm glad I could help. I was lucky that the nature preserve has a picture of one. That and seeing the pecking helped me know what it was right away.
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Rainfield - I did get the woodpecker, but your hole is the first woodpecker hole I've ever seen, so we both got something good. We're both lucky to be able to share with each other, so now we combine to have a complete picture of woodpecker and hole.
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The Retired One - I don't leave anything out for them at home, because I like stalking the animals in the nature preserve. Walking out there gives me a good feeling.
The ice breaking is such an amazing sound, isn't it? I'm glad I'm not the only one that heard it now. I hope I get lucky enough to hear it again next year. Such a wonderful and unique experience.
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Our Friend Ben - You are the one I think of the most when I hear woodpeckers. One of the posts you did had me determined to see at least one. I think I mentioned it back then. I'd love to see some of the other kind to now.
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Andy Scott - That would be an excellent idea. The whole idea here is to help show beginners how nature and adventure can be fun and easy, while also being entertaining for everyone. Children are in that category too.
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Jason - They're always much easier to hear than to see. I think I got lucky by finding a good spot to see them, plus I'm just goofy enough to stay very still for long periods while I wait for them to come out.
Well done, Ratty! They are so cute. I'm trying to catch a shot of one of our meadowlarks, but so far they are staying too far away. Of course when I was out without the camera I saw one closer this morning!
ReplyDeleteI don't think the new widget picks the stories I want. The little pictures are attractive, but I pick more relevant posts. I wonder which people are more likely to click. So far I haven't seen any evidence that anyone chooses either one. Ha!
Sharkbytes - I think all of these animals know about cameras, because I always see a lot more of them without one.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the new widget. It's kind of hit or miss. I don't know if anyone chooses either one either, so since I like the look of the new one, I'm going to keep it. I'll still add my own links, but I'll do it in the stories.
The first time I saw a black squirrel was when we moved to Iowa. I'm originally from the Oregon. I have picture just like this one that I took at my kitchen window.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth - I've only just seen my first black squirrel in the last few years myself. They've actually been imported into many states. Hey, Iowa is one of my very favorite states.
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