March 2016
It's a Woodpecker obviously but like so many other attempts to ID a bird or plant, you can never quite find photos or descriptions in all those books and sites that mirror what you are seeing. Frustrating yes… lack of training true, but learning by observation and repetition is cool. That experience plus deduction gives you insight. By the way, that's a Hickory tree leafing out and the woodpecker is working that crack forced on the tree from a too tight wire or clothesline decades ago.
Please see comments below to find out how obviously wrong I was!
Curious about something you saw while walking in the woods? Spot the coolest bug ever? The prettiest flower and butterfly? Stumble on a rock and found a fossil? Or was it? This is the place to show your discoveries and share in the knowledge of the natural world right outside our doors. Join in the fun everyday at The Daily Bucket.
This individual is black on top of its head, a black circle, with no spot of red. It's heavily barred but in all the wrong places. Size is always a key but that is hard to judge when viewing thru binocs. No calls or drumming to indicate species. I'll guess it's a Downy WP, maybe an immature. I went outside to get a better view, moving 10' closer but it skittered up the tree and then around to the other side. After a bit, it came back around to see what I was doing.
Thankfully the bird stayed over on the hickory as I bitched at my stupid camera for suddenly running out of battery and ran back into the house to grab a new set. I shot off another dozen photos but at 20 yards thru a window on a 15x zoom, I got nothing worth anything. It then took pity on me and flew towards the house landing on a Winged Sumac right outside my window.
A little better focus. The WP is smaller than I thought altho the beak looks a little too long for a Downy. Maybe it hasn’t grow into it yet. Still no red anywhere.
Final shot poking the sumac seeds, final shot of its butt anyways, and then gone.
That's it for this bucket today. Jump on in with any comments or photos or news from your backyard and environs. I have some pretty flower pics to show off in comments if you stick around - one is a dwarf-dandelion, a new to my yard plant and something I successfully identified. woo .. hoo…
* * * * * * * *
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" is posted every Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific Time and Wednesday at 3:30 on the Daily Kos front page. It's a great way to catch up on diaries you might have missed. Be sure to recommend and support. It's not all bad news...