Reindeer and Woodpeckers

I worked on this Prairie Schooler Reindeer for a couple of hours in the evening.  I should be able to finish it up this weekend.

The cold weather has brought all my Woodpeckers to the feeders.

This shot of our "Ali-baba" fountains gives you an idea of the number of hours of sub-freezing temperatures. 

Tuesday, while cold, gifted us with a blue blue blue sky.

I could hear the Flicker pounding away on the metal gutter long before I saw him.  I like how you can see his bright orange under feathers and the dotted pattern on his breast.

This female Hairy Woodpecker is a frequent visitor.  

She's a Peanut Addict.

I was pleased to see this female Downy Woodpecker too.  It had been several weeks without a sighting. 

She is much smaller than the Hairy Woodpecker.  Her bill is shorter too.  She seems to prefer the mullein and suet to the peanuts.

The Red-breasted Sapsucker, while not at the feeders, was easy enough to find as he worked on one of our large Douglas Fir Trees.

I had hope to end this post with a new photo of a Pileated Woodpecker.  While I was outside Thursday morning, I heard one calling as it flew along - and I had my camera handy too.  Unfortunately the Woodpecker did not deign to stop, but continued to fly along past our property.  I wonder how many acres a large bird like a Pileated or a Great Horned Owl needs to have a viable ecosystem...questions, always questions!