It was actually late winter when I first saw them. Then all through spring I heard the fun little tapping sounds they make throughout the forest. Once summer arrived, the sounds of their tapping seemed to go away. I thought maybe it was because all of the other forest sounds were just a little bit louder than them. Sure I heard them every once in awhile, but very rarely.
It wasn't until late this fall that their little knocking noises came back to the forest, and they've continued all through the winter. Do you know what that means? It means that I've apparently found another little bird that loves winter. I couldn't have been more surprised.
Next time you see a squirrel digging in the snow, or a bird taking a snow bath, just remember that they're probably well equipped for this kind of weather, and they might even like it. There are also some animals that you won't see any other time of the year. So winter can actually be very interesting. There's much more life out there in the snow than we could ever believe.
One last unrelated thing today. After my post yesterday about fake computer problems in the park, I've actually developed some very serious real computer problems. My hard drive on my computer is failing fast. This is going to seriously limit my internet time until the new one I ordered comes in the mail at the end of the week or early next week. I'll do my best to get on here when I can, but I don't expect things to go well until I get the problem fixed. I guess that's what I get for faking a bad computer.
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Uh oh, I sure hope your computer holds out so you can copy your hard drive over! I think a HD crash is something that terrifies us all. On another note, I loved the woodpecker photos :o)
ReplyDeletejust saw one of it like that last two days ago. but bwron is the main color
ReplyDeleteHang in there Ratty, hopefully your new hard drive will be there soon. Since you probably have all your files backed up it's more of an inconvenience than anything else. I've lost track of the number of hard drives I've killed. Hubby says I'm a little rough on computer components.
ReplyDeleteYour woodpecker needs more exercise during winter time, that's why there are knocking sound going on.
ReplyDeleteBut your hard drive should have too much exercise, I pity him.
Beautiful wood peckers! Hope your computer holds out for you.
ReplyDeleteHi Ratty, love the bird pictures...and on such a sunny day too. Maybe you don't hear the woodpeckers so much in the summer because they already have their nests sorted??? Maybe it's too hot for them in the summer?? Maybe it is the babies of the previous year making nests for their own families the following spring?? Maybe the wood is easier to peck in the winter?? Just some ideas you could look into. Hope the new hard drive arrives soon!!
ReplyDeleteJust to correct the posts by rainfield61 and allotments4you.com above: Woodpeckers make very little sound when digging into the wood of a tree. The classic knocking sound is their 'song' - woodpackers don't chirp, whistle or trill. Nor do they 'knock' for exercise. Indeed, birds will try to conserve energy in the winter and will minimise unnecessary activity. If they did decide to exercise (per se), they would simply fly.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with the downy woodpecker specifically but two possibilities for the absence of knocking in the summer could be: 1) the birds habitually move around the forest according to the season or 2) Many birds establish territories in advance of the breeding season. Perhaps the winter knocking is to advertise owenership of a patch of forest and such actions are required less frequently in the breeding months when territories are well established.
This time of year, the downy is a regular visitor at our sunflower-seed feeder. We also see red-bellied woodpeckers and flickers.
ReplyDeleteHope your computer hangs in there long enough for you to install the new hard drive.
OH no! The revenge of the bad computer story! Hope the solution comes before the crash. I love the downies, except when they are knocking on the house! Thanks for the link... preposterousness... sheesh...
ReplyDeleteOH NO Ratty! Not computer problems for real....I just went through that and it was awful emotionally and physically! It makes you sick.
ReplyDeleteWe have the woodpeckers you showed almost all year round here...they love our suet feeders...they are very friendly and will often stay there when I go outside to take their picture.
I love them.
Great picture of the woodpecker and I am so sorry about your computer. I am glad you ordered another one. I live in fear that mine is going to crash and I hope I didn't just jinx myself. Why can't they make computers to last a little longer.
ReplyDeleteGreat photo of the woodpecker. I had no idea that they preferred cold weather. Too bad about the computer. You went and jinxed yourself with that post. Hope you get the new one up and running before long
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem several times. Actually this one i have right now is beginning to slow down big time. I might need a new hard drive too. We'll be here when you get back, Ratty!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you brought this up. Just three days ago I saw a squirrel in the snow digging around and I felt so bad for him. I thought he must be freezing! But now, I'm wondering... maybe he likes the snow!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your computer. Seems to be the classic can't live with it, can't live without it device. Hopefully you have excellent back up files in case something goes drastically wrong.
ReplyDeleteDowny, hairy, and red belly woodpeckers are common in this neck of the woods. They seem to compete with sapsuckers for the same trees. In the winter the downy and hairy woodpeckers remain and the red belly and sapsuckers head for greener pastures. We also have terrific nuthatch population, it seems they are migrating north (we had few a dozen years ago).
Thanks for your great post.
Bill
Love the birds, Ratty and I often do wonder how they manage out there in the cold of Winter but I guess they are well equipped with all those feathers to handle it. I seriously hope your computer "gets better soon."
ReplyDeleteThose Downys are beautiful little birds! I love watching them. Wish I'd see that darn elusive Pileated Woodpecker though..Ha!
ReplyDeleteSure hope your computer holds up till you get the new one Ratty. You'd be lost without it. I know I would.
Ratty woodpeckers are one of my favourite birds although I have yet to see one here. When I lived in the UK I had one visit my garden regularly.
ReplyDeleteYour comments are all appreciated. The downy woodpeckers are some of my favorite birds. My computer seems intent on giving me problems, but I'm still here so far. I think I'll skip the comment game today, but it will pop back up at random times. Now I think I'll answer a few of your questions!
ReplyDelete-
@Alotments4you
Check out the comment right below yours. He might shed some light on these woodpeckers.
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@Thonior
Thanks for the information. I found it very valuable, and I hope a few others here do as well.
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@Blue Alpine
I'm glad I could ease your mind on that one. They really do seem to like it out there in the snow.
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I wish Icould answer more, but I'm really on borrowed time with this computer right now. Thanks again to all of you.
Hi Ratty,
ReplyDeleteI thought I would stop by before calling it a night and see how things were going. I forgot to add to my post last night that the downy woodpecker photos are great. I rarely see our woodpeckers but hear them sometimes. I don't blame you on the game with the hard drive on it's last leg. Besides I couldn't come up with a way to work Chromosome into a post.
Go easy on the hard drive, maybe your new one will arrive soon.