Marta is blonde, but knows I have a thing for red heads

[Omaha Steve]

These are all from this morning, just moments ago.

The top photo was taken from our laundry room. The lower photo through our patio door. In the background of the lower photo is a bush honeysuckle. It is an invasive I'm going to take down after other plants bloom for the bees: http://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/resources/2010/08/9675_6621_0.pdf




Food fight! A female Hairy Woodpecker on the left and a female Red-bellied Woodpecker on the right. That is supposed to be a squirrel feeder.




And this is supposed to be a woodpecker feeder. A male gold Finch.

[livetohike]

1. Great pictures! It's been years since I've seen a red headed woodpecker and

never at our feeders. (I live in northern PA). Thanks for sharing .

[stage left]

2. Some great pictures.

We get hairy woodpeckers and red bellied woodpeckers, but I've never seen a red headed.

That's an outstanding goldfinch, too. I think they've all passed through our region.

[rhett o rick]

3. Thanks for posting. nm

[Worried senior]

4. We get red header

ones up here.

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

5. Lovelovelove these pics!

I'm working on hummingbirds this summer. So far just a couple of male scouts here in central Texas but here's hoping for more

[mckara]

6. Beautiful!

Birds are wonderful!

[oldandhappy]

7. wow, all beautiful. Gold Finch is a handsome devil.

[gademocrat7]

8. Wonderful photos, OS

[MrMickeysMom]

9. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know what kind of woodpeckers visit me, Steve...

I've been looking at 6 or more Gold Finches at a time come feed on our thistle, while trying to figure out if the others WERE Woodpeckers. I guess they ARE!

[Contrary1]

10. Here's a blonde, so Marta doesn't feel left out...

Don't often get to see a Flicker from this angle, thought you might enjoy it.

[Omaha Steve]

14. Beautiful shot

Thank you too!

We have a couple of them here. Never realized the beauty of them in flight.

OS

[greiner3]

11. Great pictures;

But as to your remark "...I have a thing for red heads." I too have a thing...

[shenmue]

12. Boids

[Iwillnevergiveup]

13. Yo, Steve...

have you considered charging admission to your back yard? Quite the showcase.

[Omaha Steve]

18. We talked about selling photos at one time

The idea was to write off the cost of food and supplies on our taxes. Our tax person said great idea. We ended up deciding against it. Maybe after Marta retires....

We caught a guy selling a couple of or photos a few years ago at the farmers market. Se we know the good ones would sell.

OS

[shireen]

15. Whoa! Red-headed woodpecker!

Is it a regular at the feeder?
Very nice!

[hopemountain]

16. the only marta i have known

is a red head - but, i agree, your redheads are gorgeous

[stonecutter357]

17. wow Beautiful.

My wife is a redhead well more ginger than red...

[Botany]

19. If you like birds

http://www.shopgardenclub.org/shop/item.aspx?itemid=195

The most important feeding the birds needs is to have the native plants that
support native insects that all of our song birds use to feed their young.

Cut the honeysuckle down ASAP .... don't worry about its flowers and the bees.
alternate leaf dogwood, grey twig dogwood, black haw viburnum, arrow wood
dogwood, and american wahoo are good native shrubs.

http://www.xerces.org/announcing-the-publication-of-attracting-native-pollinators/

[Omaha Steve]

20. Thanks for posting

I will get at them ASAP. We had an inch of rain last night. More rain on the way. They are on the hill. Once it is dry enough for my footing, they will come down. I will ask the neighbor if I can take his down while I'm at it.

These were most likely planted by a turkey calling card.

OS

[Botany]

21. Cut them @ just above ground level and paint the cross section w/a "brush killer" that has Triclopyr

I do ecological restoration work ... it is far more important to kill the non native invasives then
to worry about "the chemicals." Mark each stump w/a pin flag so you can go back and SPOT TREAT
any new growth w/a glyphosate. Once you bring back the natives you will be astounded by the
biodiversity that will show back up.

BTW bush honeysuckle fruits aare like junk food for birds and many different types of birds
spread the seeds.

BTW part 2 .... if the honeysuckles have been there for any length of time you might get
some resprouting from "seed bank" in the soil .... you can hoe these out, pull them out
by hand or spot treat them ...... ecologiacal restoration can take years but it is worth it.

BTW part 3 ..... the arbor day folks in Lincoln City, Nebraska have some real good info on
native palnts and such.

american persimmon rocks!