Surprise visitor

[Paphluvr]

I keep a feeder on my deck about 5' outside of my great room window to feed the goldfinches. The other day a larger bird caught my eye and I was able to catch this image. He stuck around for almost 15 min. and didn't want to share with the finches. It's visited once again since.

[estación seca]

Do you know the woodpeckers in your area?

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Do you know the woodpeckers in your area?

I don't consider myself a birder, but according to my Peterson's "Birds East of the Rockies" I believe this to be a red bellied woodpecker. First time I've seen one at the feeder. Also had what I believe to be a redpoll at the feeder a couple of days ago but wasn't able to get a picture.

[Dollythehun]

You are correct, it's a Red Bellied woodpecker. Keep Peterson's by the window, it's a great resource. You might consider hanging out a suet cake.

[WaterWitchin]

We have three type of woodpeckers regularly here at the feeders: red belly, downy, yellow belly sapsucker. Used to have pileated, but haven't seen one in a very long time. They eat tons of black oil sunflower seeds and love suet cakes.

Last two years grandkids and I gather tons of pinecones, stuff with a mix of peanut butter and dried mealy worms, then freeze and use. The grands love doing it.... and good grief it's a super messy project. Not sure what I was thinking when I started that tradition.

[Dollythehun]

Mealworms are always a hit. Paphluvr, why don't you try branching out? Black, or hulled sunflower(if you don't like the mess of black, although they cost more) will attract a lot of nice birds.

We have red bellied, sapsucker, downy, and piliated. Seldom a red head. But, the most fun to watch are the Red Breasted Nut Hatches. We have a pair every year and have named them Boris and Natasha.

[DeaC]

I have all the usual suspects coming to the buffet I set out and even caught a glimpse of a pair of bluebirds last week but haven't returned...yet. Birds rock!

[Dollythehun]

Bluebirds love mealworms they come to our feeder all winter for them. And water that's really important too.

[Mountaineer370]

Agreed, that's a red-bellied woodpecker, a female judging by the nape being red but not the crown of the head. I live a bit south of you in Michigan, in the Ann Arbor area, and we have them all year round, along with plenty of downy woodpeckers, and a smaller number of hairy woodpeckers. Very rarely, I will see red-headed woodpeckers. Last spring, for the first time ever at my house, I saw a pair of pileated woodpeckers. I think they were just passing through, but it was a real treat to see them.

My woodpeckers eat whatever is out, which at our house is black sunflower seeds or suet cakes. I really enjoy watching them, along with the blue jays, cardinals, and a number of other plentiful winter birds.

[Paphluvr]

Dolly, I have feed a more generalized diet in the past, but my condo has a drainage ditch filled with cattails about 50' behind it and an open meadow beyond that. In the Spring and early Summer it's a great breeding place for red-winged blackbirds. They, unforunately, do not rank very high on my list of favorite birds. I find the raspy call the males make very annoying. Therefore I just concentrate on feeding the small songbirds.