The Red Headed Stranger

[Mousetoescamper]

Male red-bellied woodpecker. The photo was taken at my former home in 2014. Not a recent shot, but it fits the season. He came to one of my suet feeders while I was photographing the usual cast of characters: Carolina wrens, juncos, cardinals, white-throated sparrows. A fresh suet cake didn't last for long when he went at it with that formidable beak. I couldn't get a good shot him while he was swinging from the feeder with his face turned away from the lens. Finally he lighted on a branch and sat pretty for a few seconds.

[Probatim]

1. Very nice photo. I watch them and their relatives feed daily on my suet feeder.

Downy and Hairy woodpeckers compete with the Red-bellied woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, and wrens (and squirrels).

The hook for the suet feeder is mounted to the deck. When I'm working at the dining room table, which is most days, I can feel them pecking at the suet through the floor joists. I usually lean out over the laptop to see which one has come in for a snack. I'm never disappointed by their presence; however, I think I like the Hairy a little bit better.

[Mousetoescamper]

2. Thanks! Nothing is safe from the squirrels! They would pry open the cage and

knock the suet to the ground. I used bread ties to secure the latches on the feeder, which put an end to that particular mischief.

[usonian]

3. Exactly. I don't have a feeder (the neighbor feeds the birds massively) and I catch them in branches

Will share some more as I go through the photos.
Still taking them faster than I can sort them out.

Love that bright red "camouflage"