Flicker....not to be confused with Flickr

I've become a bit of a woodpecker lover this year. I hung suet feeders out back when I realized the woodpeckers were still looking for it in the summertime - I thought it was just winter energy for them. But as I sat on the deck this summer I was able to observe and photograph a downy woodpecker feeding suet to her baby - so I made sure there was plenty available. They are so unafraid of people. In fact, they come near as I fill their feeders and they get right to eating as soon as I move a short distance away. 

Here's a baby...

(Gap between pics courtesy of Blogger)

Here's mom and baby.....

Baby is below, waiting to be served (kids are all alike aren't they??)
 



Notice the awkward stretch backwards to get the suet into the youngster's mouth.

And not to be forgotten...........here's dad.

The other day I had a little birding treat when I pulled into the driveway after work. I saw a bird the size of a robin moving down a tree trunk like a woodpecker. Knowing it wasn't the usual downy woodpeckers around here, I peered to see what it was.

It flew onto the gate at the end of the driveway as I continued to sit in the car. I could see glimpses of beautiful yellow feathers on its underside  and I began to wonder if it was someone's pet that had gotten loose. It flew back to the tree, then back to the gate. To my delight he flew directly into the pine tree right next to me where I had an up close look at him and he was joined within seconds by his mate. The two of them conversed for a few minutes while I studied them, and then they flew off and I haven't seen them since. They were northern flickers, of which I have not seen any for years...but then again, they can be hard to spot unless you're looking for them because they like to forage on the ground in search of bugs.

Here are some Wikipedia pictures of flickers. 

Finally, take a look at a YouTube video of a mother flicker tending her babies. I am envious of the owner of the camera who shot the close up video, complete with a baby flicker and his looooooooong tongue and the surprise ending. Excellent quality! Now I will wonder what really goes on high up in the upper recesses of our maple trees.  Maybe I should get my husband to do some climbing and install a webcam trained on any nice round holes in the trunk.


Somehow, I don't think that's going to be happening....