I have a new daily visitor at my suet log in the back yard. This lovely red-bellied woodpecker has a huge appetite for the peanut/suet plugs that I stuff in this log. He's been showing up several times a day for the last week or so. I hope he keeps me on his route as he is a beautiful flash of color and his stripes are so striking. I love the forked tail and doesn't he look like he's blushing?
I haven't been around much in blogville lately. I just finished up a stretch of working nights in the hospital and I'm just exhausted. But I am excited about a bird trip coming up this Sunday. The Duluth Audubon Society is sponsoring a birding trip to the Sax-Zim bog area of northern Minnesota. Expected sightings include great gray owls, boreal chickadees, gray jays, black-backed woodpeckers, American three-toed woodpeckers, red crossbills, snow buntings and other winter birds! All life birds (except for the GGO) for me! There is a snowy owl hanging around Duluth harbor that I'm hoping to get a look at too. I made hotel reservations for Saturday night for the whole family. Art and the kids will explore around Duluth while I go birding. Fun for every one! Hopefully there will be time to stop by at Hasty Brook before dark. I miss that place so badly. I am thrilled at the idea of seeing the Sax-Zim bog as I've never been there. I'm especially happy to be going there with an experienced guide leading the group.
16 comments:
He is wonderful. Really adds to the grey of Minnesota this time of year.
Have a good time birding this weekend. Sounds like a good time.
I love those woodpeckers! I just saw one flying across the road as I was driving near Mora today. We don't get them here, although I've seen one in the far northwestern part of the county.
That birding trip sounds great! If you have a chance, head out along Park Point in Duluth; I've heard a Townsend's Solitaire has been hanging out there recently. I've never been to Sax Zim; hope all the birds you mentioned show up!
I love red-bellieds, too. We only get them during the cold months (I guess they find plenty of food elsewhere)
Too bad I will miss the Great Greys this year. But you and I can go rock New Jersey wtih Laura hopefully sometime this year?
Hope you have an awesome time, Lynne!
Kind of strange, but our life birds are opposites - I have all but the great gray owl! I know - I need to get up your way to see one, although I think there was one in the Adirondacks a few winters ago.
Hope you get everything on your list and a visit to Hasty Brook too.
**come to NJ**
Sounds like a wonderful time ahead for you Lynne. I am more than a wee bit jealous! I have a yellow-bellied woodpecker coming to my feeder, but the guy just stays on the ground eating dropped seed and won't realize that there is both a suet and peanut feeder above his head to be enjoyed. Have a very wonderful adventure and take some photos to share with us on your return.
Hmmm, I left a comment but it's not showing up now! Anyways, I love your woodpecker and I hope it visits you often! And I wish you a great time on your trip and hope you see many birds! Looking forward to the photos! Enjoy!
Yay! You're back! I love your photo of the woodpecker. I hope he continues to visit so you can show more of him. Sounds like with all of the working you have done lately, a nice weekend away will serve you well. Enjoy!
Gorgeous. I NEED one of those logs. But, I NEED a place to hang it where squirrels won't just empty it everyday. Sigh.
prairie chick-
He really is a nice bit of color for our gray winter!
Deb-
I hope we have a good bird turn-out too. The Townsend's Solitaire would be a lifer for me too.
Susan-
What do you think about going to the Cape May Autumn Weekend? I've all ready started saving for it!
LauraH-
I'm sure hoping to get to Hasty too! I'm tentatively planning to try the Cape May Autumn Weekend in October if I can get Susan to go too! Let me know when you see dates! Any one else interested?
Jayne-
I hope to get some photos and stories to share!
Pam-
Mr. Red-Belly was here again this morning! He just took off when I slid the window open to snap a picture!
Mary-
It's nice to be missed! :)
Liza Lee-
Thw woodpeckers really do love that log. So do the chickadees and nuthatches. I even had a bluejay swinging on it once!
Such a wonderful picture of the woodpecker! Looks like you are going to have a wonderful fieldtrip this weekend! Many of those birds would be fun to find!
I think it's a girl redbelly--her red stops halfway up her crown. How wonderful that they've made it that far north. I guess they breed all over Ontario, too--quite a change from their core range which was the southeastern US only 50 years ago.
Wonderful visitor you have on your suet! Found your blog through Deb's site...love your pictures and the look of your blog!..and the name of it, too!
Autumn it is.
mon@rch-
The sightings have been very consistant in that field trip area but they're forecasting sub-zero wind chills- brrrr!
Julie-
thanks for visiting and for the gender and breeding info. I found what you said about the red in the Sibley guide- I had never noticed that before!
PJ-
thanks for visiting and for all of the nice compliments! Come back again!
I'll bet we are going see some great photos next week! The trips sounds fun.
We only have two of the birds you listed here in southern Maine, and then only occasionally, the snow bunting and red crossbill.
Brrr, that does sound cold!
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