This Northern Yellow-shafted Flicker woodpecker was hunting for bugs and other tasty bites in the grass near the dam of the pond on Thursday, September 13, 2012 when I snapped these pictures. The Flicker like the Red-bellied Woodpecker have lived here for months but seldom have been out and about in the yard due to the presence of the Red-headed Woodpeckers. I think that the Red-heads have migrated to the South now so the year-around resident woodpeckers are taking over. I really am wowed by Flickers!
The Northern Yellow-shafted Flickers have a beige body, dark brown spots on their chest, a barred brown and beige back, a red v-shaped mark on the back of their head and a black v-shaped mark on their upper chest. The males also have a black mustache mark. They are spectacularly marked birds. They also have brilliant yellow feather shafts that can be seen when in flight. Northern Yellow-shafted Flickers are beautiful medium-sized birds and I am glad to have them here!
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Comments on: "A Northern Yellow-shafted Flicker" (13)
love the ‘heart’ on the back of their nape. 🙂
Hi Theresa, I do too! Great observation. Thanks as always for your great comments. Have a wonderful day!
Flickers are the only woodpeckers I’ve seen lately here.
Hi Montucky, Interesting that you still have the Flickers. I sure would like to see a Red-shafted Flicker some time. Have a super great Sunday tomorrow!
Great sighting of the Flicker. I do not usually see them often. I wish they were around more. Great shots. Have a happy Sunday and a great week ahead.
Hi Eileen, I hope some flickers come your way next Spring. Thanks for your ever-nice and informative comments. Have a wonderful coming week!
Flickers are very busy in my yard this weekend, too. They are enjoying the ants which are very easy to find right now (due to the lack of rain, most of the vegetation has dried up and died .. we are at an explosive fire danger level)
Hi Bearyweather, I sure hope you will get some rains soon. Glad you also have and enjoy the flickers. Have a wonderful day and a pleasant coming week.
Where are you seeing these birds? I saw 4 of them in my backyard tonight near Edmonton, Alberta Canada
Hi Canuck, These woodpeckers are found here in Tennessee and also in many places in the Midwestern USA. Interesting that you have them there in Canada also. They are beautiful and distinctive woodpeckers. Welcome! Have a nice day tomorrow!
I had just finished cutting my grass (probably for the last time this year) and I saw them pecking on the ground. The black elongated heart shape on their chest and thin red stripe on the back of their neck was beautiful. They had an audience as well. There was a Robin, which I haven’t seen since spring, and a Magpie (here except winter) checking them out. Temperature here today was around 70 degrees F.
I’ve never seen this bird before
This bird is just beautiful. Liked these shots. I wish to photograph such beautiful creatures myself sometime. Never got time for this till now but i carry my camera and opticron binoculars with me on my weekend walk, so that i can take images of the birds and animals i found during my journey.