Red-headed Woodpecker

One bird that never stops amazing me is the Red-headed Woodpecker. Starting with the color of their feathers, which are very bright and well defined. Their slick figure make them look like stuffed animals or toys. Also are great acrobatic fliers with a powerful set of wings. Their heads have a perfect bright read hood with a thin black ring bordering at the neck. Pitch black wings and tail with white bars underneath, breast and belly bright white.

Generally found in pairs, if you see one just look around and most likely will see another. I’ve see them feeding on the ground as well as from feeders where they hang upside down.

They’re well respected by other birds. I figure who’s messing with a guy with such a beak! But they are not aggressive per se. At least from what I’ve observed.

These birds are hard to miss because of their colors.

I was reading some articles on the web about Red-headed Woodpeckers, which are becoming rare and almost gone out of the State of Connecticut, very commonly seen in the past.

I feel happy to know that my backyard have been visited by them countless times. I’ve been lucky I guess. 🙂

Red-headed Woodpecker

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Busy and crowded place

My backyard was a very busy and crowded place yesterday, not with people but with birds, young and old. Here’s the list of visitors:

– Northern Cardinals, at least a dozen at one time, old and young.

– Northern Mockingbirds (See photos) Approx. maybe 8 at a time.

– Brown-headed Cowbirds, about 20.

– Red-headed Woodpecker, 2.

– Mourning Dove, 6 or 8.

– Red-winged blackbird, about 4.

– Common Grackle, 2.

– Indigo Bunting, 1.

As you can see for a hot day that many birds it’s not bad at all. Of course they were all over the place both parents and kids, calling, chasing each other, feeding, etc.

The activity going on was very inspiring to observe. I feel good about it. 🙂

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Who’s your Daddy now?

The Red-winged Blackbirds are very abundant this season, not only in my backyard but everywhere. One thing I could say about them is that they resist the heat very well and they love the rain. It doesn’t bother them at all.

There’s a particular moment when they get angry or need to spook other birds and they ruffle their feathers of whole body and their shoulder red feathers flare looking like fire. Very impressive move.

While eating from the feeder they are not very adept to sharing, their attitude is a bit selfish. But then,sometimes the Grackles show up and they themselves become secondary. Grackles are more aggressive birds and larger in size. This is called “Who’s your Daddy now?” 🙂

Here are some pictures of the Red-winged Blackbird.

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Bald is beautiful

Bald headed songbirds is not common but it happens to certain species of birds. More often seen on the Northern Cardinal family, it happens to other birds too.

Many different reasons have been attributed to this condition, appearance or anomaly; such as molting, mites and a genetic mutation but normal variation of birds. The question here is most claims have been proven to be true to a point but not in its entirety. For example:

Molting.

– It happens to all birds but why would happen to some birds only on the head? Not all.

Same goes for mites.

– If the mites are present on the bird and then is cured off the infestation, the plumage returns, but then why some do not have the mites and are still bald?

Maybe an illness?

– These bald birds are in very healthy condition living a normal life!

It leaves the genetic mutation.

– I can not reach that far so I’ll leave it alone.

Anyway, yesterday I shot some pictures of a female Cardinal, showing one of the ‘conditions’ mentioned above.

Listen and remember…Bald is beautiful! :). Or… At least that what my wife tells me.

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