Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) female "If only, if only," the woodpecker sighs,
"The bark on the tree was as soft as the skies."
While the wolf waits below, hungry and lonely,
Crying to the moo-oo-oon,
"If only, If only."
~ Louis Sachar (Holes)
In Mississippi, our most common woodpecker was the Red-headed variety with dark black-capped wings and a full red head. I have seen one here in Virginia as well, but didn't have the camera at hand. The variety pictured above is larger than the small 6 inch downy woodpecker, averaging about 9 inches in length. The distinct "zebra" striped wings and the patches of red on the head and above the bill are indicative of the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). There is a touch of red on the belly, but not as massive as one would expect with the name. This bird is a female with her gray crown. The male would be similar but his red crown feathers give a mowhawk effect.
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) female
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) female
One day I glanced out the window and saw this large light brown bird with golden yellow tail feathers and the most beautiful black markings on its chest and belly. This was one of the largest birds I had seen at our feeder and the most beautiful. Another woodpecker variety; the Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) that averages 12 inches in length. This is the female as males have a black moustache that angles down to the neck from the bill.
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) female
These birds love the platform feeder and occasionally feed on the ground, but most often head directly for the suet. It is fascinating to watch them feed. Their long, sharp bills peck deep into the suet and then this pink tongue flecks out to grab up the nuts and corn pieces. The tongue is more visible than that of other birds and the motion reminds me of a snake tongue.
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) female 
Isn't she gorgeous? I may have a picture of the male still on my memory card. Last week I captured both the male and female visiting our feeder. By the way, if you can see those pale lines streaking across the background.... that was our snow for the year!
Birds at my feeder... will continue.... but for now...these birds decided to visit Friday's Ark... the cats have taken a ride but this is a first for the birds....
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Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus),
female without the red moustache of the male. "Even the woodpecker owes his success to the fact that he uses his head and keeps pecking away until he finishes the job he starts" ~ Coleman Cox
Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat.
There it goes again.
Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat.
It's loud, a little to my left.
Rat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat-a-tat.
A large sound... should be from a large bird. Oh! There he is! Hello, Woody or rather... Wilda (this one is a female)!
I love the woodpecker rhythm, as long as his performance site doesn't include the house. Fortunately, they have a variety of trees in the preserve to drum on; some dead, broken and hollow while others are fully alive and will soon bud. This lady, a female Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), looks a lot like the bird in Beverly's neck of the woods. She doesn't come to the feeder and it is just as well... she'd overwhelm the place.
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) female
Downy Woodpecker... male
The small downy woodpeckers love the suet feeders and are petite enough to navigate through the squirrel cage at the tube feeder with the finches feeding on the sunflower chips. The female lacks the small patch of red as seen on the male's head. This is one of the most abundant and widespread woodpecker species in the state. Winter or summer, we have them.
On our coldest day this week, I counted at least sixteen different varieties of birds at our feeder, even some who rarely get closer than the back fence. This may become a themed series... "Birds At My Feeder"? Hmm... yes, perhaps!
So..... to be continued.
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PS: The woodpeckers wanted to visit Friday's Ark this week... I told them to be careful around the cats...
Colonial transparency.... (Click picture to enlarge) "A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged, it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and the time in which it is used" ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes (American Physician, Poet, Writer, Humorist and Professor at Harvard, 1809-1894)
Through the looking glass and back in time, a slow saunter through Colonial Williamsburg is always an experience. The wavy glass tells me this is original with small air bubbles the norm rather than the exception. Many of the homes have typical shutters.... on the outside; but this one... shutters on the inside.
Antique crystal.....
Here the delicate pink crystal, seen through the hutch doors is another example of history, another century, another time. This crystal is my mother's wedding set.... almost 58 years old now. It is extremely delicate, just a misplaced tap will shatter these! The plates are my china... a gift from my grandmother and I do believe they have just a touch of pink as well. I love the way the lighting makes the glass sparkle and glow in the dim light of the evening.
Carmi's theme for this week is "transparent" and you can see other examples here. Oh, I just remembered! My previous post has a curious picture that also is a prime example of the theme......
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Crouching tiger position. (Click picture for larger view)"What we see depends mainly on what we look for." ~ John Lubbock
Maggie: Oh! Look! Something's out there! What is that chirping noise? I need to find out! I need to blend in with my surroundings and check this out!"
Balancing cat position.
"I have slowly climbed this hill and now I balance, as still as a statue. Look at all the birdies, finches and mourning doves. I am sooooo good... they don't even seem to notice me. But, my feet are getting tired.... my body is too big.... too long... don't look down, don't look down! I am going to have to get closer soon!"
My pirouette move. I am a ballerina!
"I can't get past this lamp...hmm... I'll try this direction. Yes, this should get me closer to the window, but.... I am just so big and my tail is swishing. Oh! No! I can't move like a mouse... more like an elephant! How do those Siamese do this so well?"
"Where did they go?"
"Well, here I am, nose against the window and what is this? That person that I do not like, pointing that black box at me again! I want the birdies, where did the birdies go? Uh-oh, I feel a song coming on......Where did all the birdies go... Long time passing
Where did all the birdies go... Long time ago..Meoooowwwwww!"
"Perhaps I will see them on board Friday's Ark or perhaps at the Carnival of the Cats hosted by Artsy Catsy. But with all the other cats there, the outlook for birdie sightings might be slim."
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Stark winter trees... but no snow! "I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the landscape - the loneliness of it - the dead feeling of winter.
Something waits beneath it - the whole story doesn't show."
~ Andrew Wyeth
Winter rarely has snow here, but routinely the lows set up off shore and winds blow in from the northeast. These howl through the trees in the preserve behind the house and the trees sway, their bare limbs clacking against each other as stray pine cones pelt the rooftop. Two of the tallest pine trees were dead and this winter, during one of these wind events, the tops broke off the trunks, about 20 to 25 feet off the ground and both fell, at the same time. While neither large trunk fell across the fence, we did have many broken limbs and pine cones throughout the back yard. Large twisted limbs from viable pines were also taken down by their fall and landed, still in the preserve but close to the sidewalk. Now, the woodpeckers of all types are having a wonderful time with the remnants.
Soon, these trees will burst forth with pale, green leafy buds..... time moves too fast!
This picture is for Carmi's weekly thematic posts.... this week... winter. Sorry but we just haven't had enough snow to photograph this year!
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