Woodpecker Wednesday: A Red-Bellied Woodpecker

This Red-bellied Woodpecker was spotted at what I like to call the “Woodpecker colony” located in a pasture near one of the entrances to this development.  This is in a working cattle ranch pasture.  It is a block from the rainfall retention pond where I have been seeing the ducks and egrets.

Last year I also spotted quite a few Red-headed Woodpeckers in this pasture location.  While I was there taking pictures, I did hear what I think was the trill of a Red-headed Woodpecker,  but that bird was likely deep in the nearby Oak forest on the ranch property (not accessible).  I took these pictures of the chatty woodpecker on March 9, 2014 early in the evening.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photo.  As ever, I hope you will enjoy the pictures!

It’s Another Woodpecker Wednesday!

A Red-bellied Woodpecker, a Downy Woodpecker, and a Red-headed Woodpecker are the subjects of todays woodpecker extravaganza!  I took these pictures from my front yard (Red-bellied and Downy) and at the area near the front gate of this development (Red-headed) which is within a small pasture on the nearby ranch.

I was especially happy to have seen the little white and black female Downy Woodpecker here.  It was just visiting.  I had seen the Red-bellied Woodpecker here a few times in the last few months.  I am just wild about woodpeckers!  I took these pictures on two days last month.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photograph.  As ever, enjoy!

It’s An Almost Wordless Wednesday

I took these pictures on various days during the past week.  I shot the photographs in Marion County, Florida in the neighborhood and development where I now live.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photo.  Enjoy!

Wednesday’s Woodpeckers & Wood Ducks

The Red-headed Woodpecker family has been out and about as have the older trio of Wood Ducklings.  The dark headed Red-headed Woodpecker is a juvenile.  The  adult shown in the picture is an adult.  Adult Red-headed Woodpeckers have the scarlet red-head and neck and have much clearer white and black backs.  The juvenile Red-headed Woodpeckers have slight barring on the back and faint black spotting on their bellies.

The Wood Duck ducklings are the older ducklings born here this past Spring.  There also are a pair of ducklings born later on in the Summer but I have not seen them around.  They may be out on the nearby lake.  The Wood Ducks are quite shy.  I was happy to see these beautiful ducks, though from a long distance, yesterday.  I took all of these pictures just after it had stopped raining in the late afternoon here in the yard.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Red-headed Woodpecker at the Bird Feeder

This Red-headed Woodpecker is one of a family of woodpeckers that live in the Oaks here in my yard.  A few months ago, it learned to take seeds from the bird feeder.  That is an unusual behavior for woodpeckers who usually take only suet from feeders.  These woodpeckers mostly eat insects but will also eat Acorns, berries, and seeds.

This particular woodpecker has been gathering seeds out of the bird feeder and taking the seeds to the trees and to the top of the wooden telephone and electric pole for storage.  Of course, the bird seed will not be the sole food this bird stores.  The Acorns and wild nuts will be falling in the next month and there are plenty of insects around the fields, woods and pond.  I took these pictures from my living room window and through the porch railing on August 17, 2012.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Birds in the Yard

House Finches

House Finch, Male Northern Cardinal

Carolina Chickadee

A Northern Cardinal in molt (poor thing – he has lost his red feathers on his face and forehead), a trio of juvenile hen Wood Ducks, a Red-headed Woodpecker disturbed by the presence of a Mourning Dove on the electric pole, a bunch of House Finches on the bird feeder, a Carolina Chickadee, and the graceful Great Blue Heron were some of the many birds that were here in my yard yesterday.

It rained off and on so some of the birds are rather drenched.   The Wood Ducks are maturing.  It was just a couple of months ago when they were tiny fluffy ducklings behind their mother on the pond.  I took these pictures yesterday, Aug. 3, 2012.  The pictures of the birds at the feeder were taken inside my house through the window, window screen and through the porch rail.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Great Blue Heron

Juvenile Hen Wood Ducks

Mourning Dove, Red-headed Woodpecker

Woodpecker Wednesday

This Red-headed Woodpecker is seen here on his or her usual perch, which is way up high on the top of the electric pole.  In fact, this is now the usual place for me to spot these birds here.  They have not been coming to the bird feeder.  I think there are enough insects around now that the weather has been warmer and more humid.  The woodpeckers mostly enjoy eating insects but do eat nuts seeds and fruit on occasion.  Both genders of the Red-headed Woodpecker look so similar, I cannot tell one from the other.  They are magnificent birds and I am so glad to have several around the yards and general neighborhood.  I took these pictures in my yard on several days, July 17-19, 2012.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photo.  Enjoy!

Yard Critters on a Hot Steamy Monday

Male
Red-winged Blackbird

A Great Blue Heron, Red-winged Blackbird, a Cotton-tailed Rabbit and several different birds were out and about in my yards and along the road in front of my place here on the little farm yesterday afternoon.  It was a steamy afternoon here with the temperature at 90 degrees (F.) and very high humidity.  It has been off and on cloudy with brief rains recently so the humid weather has been with us for awhile.  I can’t complain as we do need the moisture.

The pictures really reflect the haze in the air.  I saw that big flock of Starlings again yesterday and took a picture of them in flight.  Very impressive numbers to see up above one’s home.  I also saw my friend the Red-headed Woodpecker up on a familiar perch.  Funny to see the different woodpeckers all doing similar activities – guess that’s just nature.  I took all of these pictures yesterday, July 23, 2012 here in the yards or on the street just in front of the property.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Red-headed Woodpecker

Cotton-tailed Rabbit

Chipping Sparrow

Great Blue Heron

European Starlings

An Almost Wordless Wednesday

Northern Yellow-shafted Flicker

Cotton-tailed Rabbit

I took these pictures in my yard yesterday, July 17, 2012.   Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Barn Swallows

Female Red-winged Blackbird

Red-headed Woodpecker

Canada Goslings Learning to Fly