Showing posts with label woodpeckers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label woodpeckers. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Gilded Northern Flicker


I've been taking photos of these woodpeckers for years now and, try as I might, I can never get a photo of one taking off.  The undersides of their wings are a brilliant coral color, or sometimes a beautiful golden yellow. When I see one taking off I get so entranced by the gorgeous color that I just stand there with my mouth open and by the time I remember to lift up my camera, they're gone!  Someday...

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Too Hot...and, OF COURSE!

I think this Gilded Flicker woodpecker dislikes the hot temperatures as much as I do.  We're getting our share of the heat wave that has been scorching the rest of the country here in the Southern California mountains now. We had lovely black clouds earlier in the day that looked like they meant business, thunder rumbled around, but not a drop of rain fell.  Selfish clouds.

So, of course, the air conditioner in the master bedroom chooses today to die.  And, of course, I didn't find that out until a few minutes ago. The temperature has dropped from 94 degrees to 78 degrees Fahrenheit outside (which is a record for 9:30 at night up here, usually our lows are in the high 50's) but up on the third floor it is a sweltering 103 degrees, even though the attic fan has been on all day.  I've got all the windows open, but there's not a breeze to be found. 

My husband says he's going to sleep in the bedroom anyway because he'd rather be hot than eaten alive by mosquitoes.  Me?  I'm heading for the couch in my studio.  The air conditioner is working there! (Uh oh, I'd better knock on wood so I don't jinx that air conditioner).

Sigh...I hope we have a really early, cold, wet Autumn.

Monday, June 14, 2010

White Headed Woodpecker




This is a White Headed Woodpecker. I'm not sure why they call them 'white headed' since they have two bright red dots on the back of their heads, which you can see in the second photo, but....

They have the most beautiful call. I can always tell when one is coming to the feeder because I hear their one-note, clear, bell-like call as they're flying through the woods to get to the feeder.

I'm so blessed to live in the middle of a forest, and I'm so glad I can provide food for all the different species of birds that live here, along with the squirrels, skunks, and raccoons. The bigger species that live here (bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, foxes) are a thrilling (and very rare) sight to see, but I draw the line at putting out food for them. I'd love to feed them, but I'm afraid they'd eat all the smaller animals, along with the feral cats I feed.
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