Red Bellied Woodpecker

He didn't stick his head out too far, there was a hawk circling.

 

The woodpeckers move in

They've been working hard, and the nest is almost ready.  

 

Mrs. Woodpecker investigates

Mr. Woodpecker made three holes going up and down the tree.  Mrs. Woodpecker looked them over, and it seems that the middle one is her choice.  Hopefully it will be their happy home for the season.

 

In flight

Just as I snapped a picture, the woodpecker flew.  With luck, I caught him in flight.

Here he is just before.

 

Red belly

No, she doesn't seem to have a red belly, but that's who she is, a red bellied woodpecker.

 

Busy bird

This Red Bellied Woodpecker was really working on a backyard tree.

 

Red belly

The woodpeckers are back, checking out trees for a nest and reigning over the bird feeder.

 

silhouette

This red bellied woodpecker was working its way up a dead tree.  Looking for bugs maybe.

 

On the wing

The young woodpecker is now flying.  I can hear Mom and Dad calling to him, and then coming in to feed him.  He's flying on his own all over the territory.

 

Success!

The woodpecker mom and dad have been working very hard bringing food to the nest.  

We finally got a look at the baby.

 

Mom and Dad don't look much bigger than Baby.

Home builders

The sound of a tap tap tap came from the trees.  On one tree a red bellied woodpecker fixed his hole.

A brown headed nuthatch worked on another tree.

 

Good day for Woodpeckers

A female Hairy woodpecker was bobbing up a pine tree.

A much larger Red Bellied Woodpecker joined in.

Mr. Woodpecker is still busy

I'm not sure what he's up to, his hole is finished, he's found is girl, but he's very busy doing things and making a lot of noise.

Mrs. Woodpecker checks it out

A female woodpecker has been stopping by to check out Mr. Red Belly's work.

She peeks inside

And lets him know that she likes the new home.

Mr. Woodpecker finishes up

Mr. Woodpecker has been very busy.  He's hollowed out the sweetgum enough that he fits in the hole.  Now he goes in, digs, and then comes out and spits out wood shavings.

He's acquired a female friend, and sometimes she helps.  But mostly she just watches and inspects his work.

Mr. Woodpecker is busy

I appears we're going to have a red bellied woodpecker family.  

Mr. Woodpecker has been busy making a hole in our sweetgum tree.

His wife must be close, he's calling to her constantly.

Birds of a feather don't flock together

I've always heard the saying: "birds of a feather flock together".  But now that I've been doing more birding, I think that's completely wrong.  When I watch the bird feeders, I see groups of birds of many feathers all together.  

Here is a Red bellied woodpecker and a blue bird at a suet feeder.

And here's two blue birds (male and female),  a goldfinch and maybe a yellow rumped warbler.

Birds are much more inclusive than people, they like to hang out together.

Here, a pair of bluebirds and a house finch visit a pretend bird.

x rated

Ooops, I think these Red Bellied woodpeckers were starting spring early...

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers have been visiting the suet feeder.  

Red bellied woodpecker.  (I've never been able to see the red belly)

Downy woodpecker. (I guess because he's smaller than a hairy woodpecker)

This red belly is waiting his turn.

Woodpecker in the rain

This Red bellied Woodpecker found a place to hide out from the rain under a suet feeder.  Food and shelter in one place.