Red-Bellied Woodpecker - Feeding Time

For a couple of weeks, I have watched this red-bellied woodpecker fly back up into the trees after being at our feeder. Then I noticed that another woodpecker was chasing him all over. At first I wondered why is that female chasing the male; but then I noticed, the one doing the chasing didn't have any red at all on its head. I finally realized that it must be a young woodpecker following its dad.

This morning they were a bit more out in the open so I could see what was actually happening. However, since it was still fairly early in the morning, the light was terrible. I had to use a really high ISO reading to even get enough light in the camera to shoot a picture--so these are definitely not the best.

Apparently this patient father is still "spoon feeding" this rather large baby bird. The father would go to the feeder and then fly back close to the youngster. Then after cracking open the seeds, he would place them in the young bird's beak, almost turning himself up-side-down to do so.

What a loving father!

The New Woodpecker in the Neighborhood

There are lots of woodpeckers who visit us regularly--

The Red Bellied



The Hairy (such a sweet bird),

and his almost look alike, the Downy,

and, of course, the Pilated, who you can always find (or hear) early each morning hammering away in his favorite tree.

But this summer we were visited by the Red Headed Woodpecker.




He only stuck around for a couple of days.

I guess he was on his way to someplace else!

Morning Has Broken

As the sun slowly rose yesterday morning,

the whole world seemed to sparkle with the

brilliance of diamonds.

Everyone and everything seemed to be watching in awe

The Birds.............

The Squirrel.................

My Bird Watchers, Nehemiah and Ezra ............

....and, of course, me.....

It reminded me of a hymn I learned in

school a long time ago.

For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth, Over and arnound us lies,

Lord of All to Thee we raise - This our hymn of grateful praise!