At The Feeders: Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

February 23rd, 2014. We installed a couple of log feeders in mid-December, 2013. Our inspiration came from a log feeder at the Ontario FeederWatch Cam sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that was visited regularly by a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus). I thought it would be fun to see if we could attract woodpeckers to one at our location since there we’ve seen four different woodpecker species: Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens), and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Syphyrapicus varius). 

W made the logs by routing a series of 1-inch holes approximately 1 to 2 inches deep around a log about 12 inches in length. An eye screw was inserted in one end of the log which was then suspended from tree limbs on metal hangers. The holes were filled with a mixture of peanut butter, vegetable shortening, and a bird seed mix of Millet, Milo, Corn and Sunflower Seeds. 

The log feeders are located at the edge of the woods behind the other feeders 

I didn’t really expect to see woodpeckers at the feeder this Winter. So I was surprised and delighted when a male Downy Woodpecker visited the feeder within a day. I didn’t notice a female until three weeks after the first log was hung but she could have arrived earlier without my noticing.  

Downy woodpeckers are quite small; smaller in length – 5.5 to 6.7 inches – than

Northern Cardinals which are 8.3 to 9.1 inches. 

The male [top] has a red patch on the back of the head; the female doesn’t have the red patch. 

It’s interesting to watch them feeding...

From sizing up what’s in the hole to… 

Actually feeding – sticking their entire head into a hole, to... 

Having beaks covered with food. Sometimes they have to fly over to a nearby tree to clean their beaks. 

The males tend to concentrate on feeding. The females will… 

Often look around to keep an eye on their surroundings. 

It’s not unusual to see male and females feeding at the same time. These might be a pair. The male wouldn’t tolerate a second female who attempted to feed at the same time. 

They tend to arrive and leave the feeders by a nearby tree trunk. 

A closer view. 

These woodpeckers usually arrive at the feeders soon after light – often before sunrise – and may feed on an off until dusk. 

Identification Resources: 

All About Birds: Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_Woodpecker/id 

Related post: 

= At The Feeders: Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 

- Birds In An Ice Storm  
- Snow Day And Hungry Birds 

Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) At The Bird Feeders

February 17th, 2014. I was just getting up when I noticed that all the birds at the feeders had scattered. This usually means that a cat or dog is wandering through, or a hawk is flying overhead. However, when I looked out the window, I was very surprised to see a possum - a Virginia Opossum (Didelphia virginiana) - snuffling around in the seed hulls underneath the bird feeders. It was in the shade but I grabbed my camera just in case. These photos were taken hand-held at 1/20^th of a second so…

It was standing with its back towards me. I wasn’t terribly hopeful that it would turn around. I expected it to wander off across the clearing and into the woods but…

it turned its head just and I caught a glimpse of its face.

To my surprise, it turned around and…

It continued to nose out seeds.

Something distracted it and…

it decided it was time to leave. It moved quite rapidly towards the house and turned towards the woods.

It’s very unusual to see a possum in the morning. I don't think I'll see another one during the day any time soon.

Identification Resources: 

University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Related posts:

- Night Visitor 

- Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

At The Feeders: Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

February 14th, 2014. The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is, by far, one of the showiest birds to come to the feeders. We see eight or nine pairs around the feeders each day. They are among the first to arrive in the early morning and the last to leave in the late afternoon. They feed on sunflower seeds. 

The male is the brightest.  
 

The female’s plumage is more muted, but quite beautiful. 

Cardinals are most comfortable feeding on the ground or on the platform feeder, but will also feed at the tube feeder. They can hull the seeds at the feeder.

 

Some cardinals have tried to feed at the log feeders… 

Most attempts are like this. They can’t gain purchase on the log so take a mouthful of food ‘to go.’

 

A few cardinals have mastered feeding at the logs even if they look a little awkward.  

Identification Resources: 

All About Birds 

- Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 

Related post:  

- Photo Of The Day 

- Snow Day And Hungry Birds

Birds In An Ice Storm

February 12th, 2014. We’re in the second day of an ice and snow storm in the Atlanta, Georgia area. This brings birds to the feeders in large numbers. I’ve taken a number of photos that I’ll publish after the storm but this is my favorite photo of the day. 

 

Identification Resources:

All About Birds 

- Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 

- Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  

- Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus), now Dendroica pinus*  

- Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

*Integrated Taxanomic Information System (ITIS) 

Related post:

- Snow Day And Hungry Birds

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

February 6th, 2014. With the Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina), American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) are the most numerous birds at our feeders during the winter. The goldfinches eat sunflower seeds; the Chipping Sparrows eat a millet mix. They arrive soon after sunrise and feed on an off throughout the day. They 'eat in' - sitting at the feeder or foraging seed spread on the ground to accommodate up to three dozen at a time.

With a great view of the birds, I’ve been using David Sibley’s ‘The annual plumage cycle of a male American Goldfinch’ to learn more about the timeline of color changes in this goldfinch. 

 

We’ve seen about 3 dozen goldfinches at one time.

 

Coming in for a landing.

 

Winter plumage. 

Until just recently, the goldfinches have co-existed peacefully with other birds that come to feed on sunflower seeds.

A Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus),   
 

a male Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), and a…
 

Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) posed for photos.
 

About a week ago, we saw some squabbling among the goldfinches and we’ve been noticing distinct changes in the feather colors - black spotting on the head and yellow feathers replacing the gray feathers of winter.

Hopefully the goldfinches will continue to come to the feeder while they change to their Summer plumage. We probably won’t see them during the breeding season and may see them again in the Fall when they come to the wildflowers to feed on their seeds 

Identification Resources:
All About Birds

- American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 

- Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla)   
- Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)

- Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 

Related post
- Snow Day And Hungry Birds

Snow Day And Hungry Birds

January 28th, 2014. We had one of our rare snowfalls. The temperatures were falling fairly fast when the small flakes of snow started to fall in the early afternoon.

The snow began to accumulate fast and it stuck; we got about an inch of snow.

We were warm inside and could watch the birds gathering at the feeders. We have two cylinder feeders, one with sunflower seeds and the other with a mix of millet and other seeds. A platform feeder has both the millet mix and sunflower seeds. In addition we have two log feeders that have a mix of suet, peanut butter and seeds. These provided some great opportunities for photographs – even if some were a bit fuzzy.

Chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina) and American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) were huddled on a branch awaiting their turn at the feeders.

Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla). A couple of nuthatches have been regular visitors to this feeder this year. They will set and eat; this bird was taking seeds ‘to go.’  

Purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus). We’ve only seen one this year; usually we see up to half a dozen at the sunflower seed feeder.

Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Numerous males and females are regular visitors. They are most comfortable feeding on the ground. These were perched in a tree by the window.

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis). This goldfinch was fluffed up against the cold.

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hymenalis). It’s unusual to see these perched in a tree. Usually they are foraging on the ground.

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus). Several wrens feed on the suet-peanut butter-seed. 
 

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata). I was delighted to spot this little guy. I’ve only seen them in the field feeding on the sap dribbling from holes drilled in the trunk of a Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)  tree by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus varius)

Rufous-sided or Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus). We only see one or two of these – and farther from the house. This one was foraging only a few feet away.

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). I was excited to get a closer look at these and finally identify them. I’d seen them at a distance, foraging near the log feeders some distance from the house. I could see the stripes on the head but didn’t get a good look at their throats until now. There were at least half a dozen foraging on the ground.

There were several other birds that didn’t pose for photos: most notably Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens), a Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus), an Eastern Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura), Tufted Titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinensis).

Identification Resources:

Cornell Lab Of Ornithology: All About Birds

- Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 

- American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 

- Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) 

- Purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus) 

- Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

- Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hymenalis)  

- Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

- Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

- Rufous-sided or Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

- White-throatedSparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

 

Related post: 
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Right Under Our Noses 
- Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)