Monday, March 23, 2015

A Wonderful Week for Woodpeckers and a Fox

I kept my promise. 
I've stitched enough of the fox that it is recognizable!

Besides cross stitching, I spent lots of time watching my woodpeckers this past week.

A male Flicker spent some time on the ground near the peanut and suet feeders.

I think he was waiting his turn at a suet feeder.

He photographs well in profile with his red mustache and stripes and dots.

The peanut feeders remain popular with the Acorn Woodpeckers.

Two females at the same feeder extracted peanuts in tandem.

The young female (born last summer) is on the left, the older female is on the right. (The pink dots are Easter window decorations and also help define the window more clearly so the birds do not fly into it.) 

In the backyard, a female Flicker patiently perched in a tree. 

I thought she might fly down to the yard to look for ants.

But she appeared content to stay in her tree and just watch.

While I've seen the precision work of Red-breasted Sapsuckers, I hadn't seen any birds close up for several months.  On Saturday I caught a glimpse of two birds on a young pine tree, but did not have my camera.

On Sunday evening, I was finally rewarded with the appearance of this male at my front feeders.

I'd just changed out the food in the feeder Sunday morning, and the bird seemed more than happy to eat way at the Mixed Nut Bar. 

He came to the feeder a couple of times, staying 5-10 minutes each visit.
First he perched on the left side... 

...then perched on the right side.
An ambidextrous avian eater!!!
I was so pleased to have a Sapsucker at my feeders as they are such pretty birds. Now I have my sights on a female Sapsucker and isn't it time for a Pileated Woodpecker to fly in?

10 comments:

Ann at Beadlework. said...

I just love these BOAF designs, I don't know why they were never reprinted as so many people would love to stitch them.
The flicker photos made my Monday:-)

Margaret said...

Wow, that red breasted sapsucker is beautiful! Love your fox too -- so much fun. I think the birds in this post have a theme of red. :D

cucki said...

Love your stitching and sweet birds x

Ranae said...

Beautiful birdie photos. We have the flickers here, love them
Let me know if you ever want to sell or trade your BOAF animals, I have a few but not all.

Vickie said...

The sapsucker is so gorgeous!

Melissa said...

Nice work on the Fox piece! One day you will have to display all your BOAF animals at once. That will be some display!

I love that red on the Red-breasted Sapsucker! They should name a silk floss after it! ;-)

Pam in IL said...

The fox is looking great. So many woodpeckers and I really enjoyed the pics of the sapsucker. I've not seen a pic of one before.

Frances said...

That fox is going to be so cute!
The sapsucker is really pretty with that gorgeous red! I'm still partial to those beautiful flickers!

Carol said...

What a gorgeous shade of red on the sapsucker--he is just stunning (and I'll bet he knows it :)!

Your fox is looking very cute, Beth--you'll have another finish in no time!

Maggee said...

The fox is coming to life! Kinda whimsical... Boy, the red on that male is so vivid and bright--I almost didn't think it was a woodpecker at all! Wow!