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Friday, April 8, 2011

Red Belly

I finally found a mystery bird that I have been watching for for quite some time now. There is a main trail that leads in and out of my favorite nature park. And every time I get on this trail on my way out I hear this whirring chortle sound. I knew it was a bird, but not what kind it might be.

I didn't used to be very good with identifying bird calls until this year, but I never heard this one before anyway, so there was no luck with that. I knew I would have to see the bird. Luckily I kept hearing the bird so much that I was able to pinpoint the sound to one dead tree in the middle of the swamp to my right.

On this day the bird finally came out of hiding! The bird turned out to be a red-bellied woodpecker! You can follow that link for better pictures and more information about it. It's a bird site we'll be featuring on Nature Center Magazine very soon.

I have to tell you that I've been watching this tree for weeks in an effort to see this bird. It was just pure luck that I found it up there at the highest point. It was just a shame the day was so cloudy. The pictures would have turned out much better on a clear day.

Even so, I got a couple of decent pictures before the bird flew away to another tree. The woodpecker didn't count on my watchful eye though. I followed it to that other tree. I hoped to get more pictures, but that just didn't happen. I was still watching very closely though, because I knew that first tree was the bird's home.

Sure enough, it flew right back to that first tree, but it had a trick up its birdy little sleeve too. It didn't fly back where I could see it. But I am smarter than that bird brain. I still was able to follow it! The bird flew right into this hole in this last picture.

That's why I never found it before! This red-bellied woodpecker makes its home in a hole in the side of the dead tree I've been watching. Seeing that whole incident was just about one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I'm glad I was there at the right time. Lucky!

I told you a week or two ago that I would soon have more bird pictures than I knew what to do with, and now I already do! I didn't know it would happen so soon, but that is why I decided to try posting more often again. I'll try to keep it up for as long as I can. See ya next time, especially if you leave a comment.

Nature Center Magazine - Your starting place for nature!

16 comments:

  1. Nice post today Ratty. Seeing woodpeckers is so satisfying! We only have 3 types in the UK: Great spotted, lesser spotted (is a tiny version of the great one) and green woodpeckers. Whilst I was on holiday in Egypt recently I managed to get some photos of a pair of Hoopoes too. They are brilliant looking peckers :) I'll be putting them up soon- oh and some great shots of some mahoosive birds of prey (sea eagles!). See you soon

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  2. When I hear their call I start looking for them. A large bird to watch.

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  3. @Bemused
    I've seen pictures of your great and lesser spotted woodpeckers. They look very similar to our hairy and downy woodpeckers. I'm looking forward to more of your pictures from Egypt. The ones so far are great.
    -

    @Out on the prairie
    I've seen three now. They are indeed big woodpeckers. This one was the smallest of the three.

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  4. it's always a joy to see them and hear them, and much more, like you, follow them where they think they are already into hiding from you :) i can see the red cap of the bird pretty clearly, must be very beautiful up close.

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  5. Woodpeckers have a funny way of quickly moving to the backside of a tree so you can't see them. They are tricky! So cool that you saw it go into its hole!

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  6. That is a great capture of a very pretty bird! I have never seen one: they seem to live east of my area.

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  7. I bet you will get better photos of that red-bellied woodpecker soon! I think you have figured out his game.

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  8. We have the red-bellied here, but I don't see them very often. Great story about the hole! Although, I had to chuckle. It's like the guy who reports something stolen and tells the police, I'll show you right where it was.

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  9. Glad to hear you finally "reveal the mystery" after watching the tree for weeks. I never seen any red-bellied woodpecker, or any woodpecker (except in pictures or videos). They're kinda rare to find here.
    Have a great weekend.

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  10. My RBW's are MIA.:( You are Lucky indeed!!!

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  11. What a great find Ratty!! Especially finding it's home!!

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  12. It's not that you were out smarted by the woodpecker, it is just that this particular bird is very camera shy. Now that you know its haunt you can settle in incognito, and get some great shots. Love your photos. And I love your narrative.

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  13. I haven't seen one of those before. Glad to hear you solved the mystery and identified this woodpecker. It does take a lot of patience, well done Ratty.

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  14. It's great when you manage to find something you haven't seen before...and to identify it as well is an added bonus!!

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  15. That's a pretty red belly woodpecker! It must be fun to watch this little fellow.

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  16. I have never seen a woodpecker in action. Of course, I haven't been out in the woods since I was a youngster. I know, I know, I've been missing a lot. I'm too citified.

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