As I have noticed several reported sightings in the province of Red-bellied Woodpeckers this fall, I was wondering when our turn would be? It was yesterday, (Nov. 9th) when my husband looking out the window said, "there it is!" To my query of what?, He replied , "A red-bellied woodpecker". It was peering in my neighbour's window and I clicked its picture on the window sill.
What a beautiful bird!. Its head colour was so vibrant. After our first sighting it came to our trees in Bird Alley. It looked so beautiful as I framed the woodpecker in my camera lens, but my camera wouldn't work. My battery needed changing.Of course by the time I had replaced the battery, the woodpecker was gone! Today I shall be watching from my window for its arrival. A sighting of a Red-bellied Woodpecker is not a common occurrence in our province most years. However now and then, as is the case this year and in 2004 there has/ had been an irruption of these birds. Following are the contents of a post of mine I had created during the 2004 season:
Red-bellied Woodpeckers in 2004
This morning, while checking back on bird sightings on December 1st for other years, I came across notes and pictures I had recorded regarding the irruption of Red-bellied Woodpeckers into the province during the fall of 2004. Listed as a 'migrant, rare but annual' by the NB Bird Records Committee the Red-bellied Wood pecker is not a frequent sighting but in 2004 they seemed to be everywhere. At our feeders we had a Red-bellied show up on Oct 31st
and my last recording of its presence that year was on December 18th; this was a very pleasurable sighting to see on most days during that period. I have not seen a Red-bellied Woodpecker since December 2004 with the exception of our sighting yesterday. This morning we put out a suet feeder and yes, the woodpecker likes feeding on suet. It didn't take the woodpecker long to find it. , The two pictures directly above were taken in 2004. The Woodpecker picture below was taken at our feeders in Bird Alley this morning!
How lucky to have those beautiful birds stop by. I have to wonder why some they stop by in numbers some years and not others. I would love it if they stopped by here. Love your photos!
ReplyDeleteI hope he comes back for you! I love these birds and really enjoy having a pair that hang around here off and on. With winter coming, I hope they show up more often. I need to get another big suet block...they seem to like that the best.
ReplyDeleteThis is one gorgeous bird, and I only see them here in the winter. I love when they visit, and last winter I had a pair stay all Spring too.
ReplyDeleteB.