Happy Outdoor Wednesday to you. Now that the elections are over, we don't have to mute our t.v. at all the ads. So thankful. I'm also thankful we have the freedom to choose here in the U.S. and that we live in a free country. On to more pleasant topics.
Yesterday morning I looked outside and saw a beautiful bird on the railing of our deck. I couldn't get the camera fast enough, but knew enough to know it was a woodpecker checking out our posts. Our neighbors have been bothered with them for years; I've been thankful we haven't been. However, this bird is so beautiful I didn't mind seeing it. He quickly moved on from our deck railing to our Pergola to see if it was worthy of its work.He quickly left-probably due to the stain we put on it.
I was amazed at the orange under it's wings and found in my bird book that it is also called the Red Shafted Flicker. From what I read they look mainly for dead trees; our neighbors have an Austrian Pine that blocks our view and is right next to our fence-thus dropping all it's needles in our yard. It's a huge mess and we've nicely offered to buy it from them, to have a tree company come out and take it down and replace it with something smaller that doesn't shed-like a miniature Blue Spruce. They can't even see it from their house, but have said no. So if this woodpecker has to hang out nearby, it is welcome to that tree. We really like our neighbors, they are in the late 80's and 90's and I imagine will move in the next five years. Maybe then we can hire a tree farm to come put something in that is nicer; when the houses were built the builder had to put in so many Pine trees-I don't understand it but we've taken out several.
WE are off to the gym this morning, then later I have a craft day with a friend and we are joining neighbors going out for dinner tonight. Hope you are staying warm, it's freezing here!
Hugs,
Noreen
Beautiful birds!!! Here in Florida, I have the Sandhill Cranes come honking into my yard before they land, ha! I also have two of my on pet birds; Jerry, and African Grey I have had since he was 6 months old (now 26 years) and Cuddle Bird , a cockatiel (since he was 4 months old, now 19 years old!) They both talk up a "storm!" Nice blog you have, Susan
ReplyDeleteOh what a beautiful bird, Noreen! And yes, woodpeckers do like to "do their thing", pecking for food and shelter. We live surrounded by woods and have wood siding! :-O You know what that means! *haha* The woodpeckers have made two holes... one on one side of the house and another on the opposite side. They return to the same spot each spring, have their babies, and then "fly the coop" until the next spring. In one hole, the house wrens then take up residence and live there until the weather gets cold. They leave in late autumn. Since we live in the woods, so to speak, the idea of anything "manicured" is just not practical. I think that takes away a lot of stress for us, with the woodpeckers and the shedding pine trees. God bless your evening and hope you're having a wonderful dinner out with friends. Love, Andrea xoxo
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