Greetings, Swede (@Swede1952)!

I love your beautiful photo!

"...Similar to all woodpeckers, the Red-bellied (#RedBelliedWoodpecker) uses drumming as the primary source for attracting and communicating with potential mates."*

I once lived in a house with a tin roof, with a separate tin-roofed shed.

During courtship season, every local species of woodpecker had learned that metal is far superior to wood for drumming acoustics! 😀 We did not need an alarm clock! ⏰

* <https://www.wild-bird-watching.com/>

One reason I feed #birds year round is because I love to watch them bring their #fledglings to the #feeders. Here's a male #redbelliedwoodpecker feeding his baby boy on a tree next to the feeder. And a female #downywoodpecker feeding her baby boy, and then a picture of the baby having a go at the feeder himself. And finally, a female #pileatedwoodpecker who brought her boy and girl to the feeder and fed them on the deck railing. #birding #birdsofmastodon #nature #photography

#FemaleBirdDay Birdathon, May 26-29, 2023, with #FeministBirdClub and @CTGT Clockwise: #EasternBluebird with two fledglings #TreeSparrow #BrownheadedCowbird #RedbelliedWoodpecker #YellowWarbler #EasternTowhee leading us away from a fledgling #ChicksRock #FemaleBirdAwareness #birding #BirdNerds #BirdPhotos #SolaceInNature

Crazy Bird (Makeit messious)

This red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) is digging through the bird seed by sticking his beak under the bottom of the feeder slot then throwing seed to the side until he finds a peanut. I've watched him do it several times at all of my feeders. I've been waiting for a shot like this one. I think he actually look giddy.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

Friday morning visitors #birds #redwingedblackbird #redbelliedwoodpecker #commongrackle #birdphotography #lionsheadontario #brucepeninsula https://instagr.am/p/CrTY05PADNP/

Can't see me.

I took this photo this morning. This is a female, red-bellied woodpecker, possibly named Winnie. In this picture she's hiding behind a tree branch preparing to access a bird feeder. The stealth is necessary lest the peanuts get away.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

@DebOppermann

The red bellied woodpecker! Was the gateway organism that pulled me into #iNaturalist. Here, an observation from 2011, my oldest: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30876327

#RedBelliedWoodpecker #birds #woodpecker #Aves

Male Red Bellied Woodpecker looking very handsome as it perches on the Maple tree in spring!
Check it out here
https://www.redbubble.com/people/debop1/works/144355075-male-red-bellied-woodpecker?asc=u
#woodpecker #RedBelliedWoodpecker #wildlife #nature #birds #BirdsOfMastodon #MastoBirds #BirdWatching #photography #PhotoMonday #PhotographyIsArt

Red bellied you say?

This might be the first photograph I've taken of a red bellied woodpecker that really shows red on its belly. The red cap on its head is a more distinctive feature, but the name red headed woodpecker was already taken by its larger cousin whose entire head is red.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

Got peanut.

The red bellied woodpeckers always amuse me when they visit the bird feeders. There are mostly sunflower and flax seeds in the mix but there are a few peanuts and raisins. The woodpeckers will dig around, making a mess, until they find a peanut, then fly off to a nearby tree. This is a male red bellied woodpecker.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

Get a grip.

Notices how effortlessly this female, red-bellied woodpecker grips the side of the tree trunk.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

The get away.

I made a deliberated attempt to get a picture of this red bellied woodpecker leaving the bird feeder and still messed it up. I had him at the feeder, but he flew out of focus almost immediately. I attempted to sharpen it with both Topez Sharpen AI and Focus Magic. My minds eye gave Sharpen the edge, but I'm still not satisfied.

Anyhow, the bird found a peanut and you can almost track his path by the debris still falling in his wake.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

Don't get your feathers flustered.

This male red bellied woodpecker looks a bit disheveled. I took this picture in January, maybe the wind was blowing that day.

"The Red-bellied Woodpecker belongs to the boldly marked Melanerpes genus, a group of woodpeckers found only in the New World that includes Acorn and Lewis's Woodpeckers. The genus name derives from the Greek words for "black" and "creeper."" - abcbirds.org

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

It’s always nice to see a female #redbelliedwoodpecker enjoying the suet cake out front.

Get in the corner.

This red-bellied woodpecker reminded me of a child standing in the corner with her head down.

"Since the Red-bellied Woodpecker has so much red on its head, people often think its name should be the Red-headed Woodpecker, but that name is already taken by a related, less common species that actually has an entirely red head. Once one sees both species, the difference between the two is quite obvious. The name "Red-capped” would be a more accurate description for the Red-bellied Woodpecker." - allaboutbirds.org

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

Red-Bellied Woodpecker enjoying the seed bell. #BirdWatching #Woodpecker #RedBelliedWoodpecker #TrumbullCT #CanonR7

Hey, that looks good!

I wanted to show you the pair of red bellied woodpeckers hanging around. In this photo, the male woodpecker is hanging underneath the oak apple gall. The female woodpecker is seen below hanging on a very thick tree limb looking up at the male. I'm pretty certain that these are a mated pair.

"Red-bellied Woodpeckers pair off in late winter and early spring. They are seasonally monogamous, meaning that pairs remain together for one nesting season. The male initiates courtship by drumming to attract the female's attention. If she joins him, they engage in a mutual tapping display before settling down to excavate a nest cavity, usually in a dead tree or limb. If a suitable tree isn't available, the Red-bellied Woodpecker will excavate a nest in a utility pole or fence post, or even re-use a cavity dug by another woodpecker." - abcbirds.org

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

What's going on?

Here's a red bellied woodpecker hanging from what looks like a small green apple in a white oak tree. I mentioned this a couple days ago and promised to post a picture. Here it is.

I got curious and did just a little bit of research. Apparently the little balls are called an oak apple gall. They're deformed leaves caused by wingless wasp eggs/larva.

"Oak apple gall information tells us that galls are formed when a female oak apple gall wasp lays eggs in the central vein on an oak leaf. When the larvae hatch, chemical and hormone interaction between the wasp eggs and the oak causes the tree to grow the round gall." - gardeningknowhow.com

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker #trees

Lucky, lucky, lucky 🍀🤞🌠

This female red bellied woodpecker got lucky and found a peanut and I got lucky and got a photo of her flying away with the peanut. Or was it hard work and perseverance that caused both to happen. On my part, there wasn't hard work involved, but perseverance ... probably.

I'd been watching the woodpeckers bouncing around here and there, for about half an hour. They were in a tree outside my fence hanging on to some sort of fruit or large seeds, while trying to get inside. They reminded me of bees hanging on to the little white clover flowers while they take on nectar. I don't know what it was they were so interested in but through my camera lens they looked like little green apples, which I know they cannot be.

I was going to post one of those pictures today, but then I captured this one. I'll post those on other days. Cheers.

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #birds #birdsofmastodon #birdwatching #RedBelliedWoodpecker

We got a lot of rain yesterday. The birds were wet. #housefinch #redbelliedwoodpecker #photos #birds