Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Let Them Eat Cake


There are at least three of these ... two males and a female (and perhaps more)...that regularly visit this compact brick of fat and seeds and fruit that I hang near the deck railing.  Their acrobatic endeavors are always interesting to watch.  The larger ones fly directly onto the side of the rack and then eat upright, sideways and upside down with expert balance and do not leave until they have a nice ridge of fat on the top part of their bill  something like a milk mustache.

This smaller one (female downy woodpecker) is not as skilled at landing directly on the free swinging suet cake and she lands first on the deck and then hops to the chain.  She then works her way down backwards moving one foot at a time like a stunt bird in a thriller movie through the chain links and then turning and walking down the screen side itself.  She always has a serious expression on her face revealing intense concentration.  I thought they were hairy woodpeckers, but now I am sure due to the small bill size they are downy woodpeckers, although I did see a hairy woodpecker the other day high in the trees.


And, of course,  the titmouse is always impatient waiting for his turn using any intimidating distracting trick in the book.

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos!!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  2. smiles. it gave me chuckles thinking of the birds with milk mustaches...nice pics...

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  3. Great photos! I could spend hours watching my parents' feeder, with all the different birds that came to visit.

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  4. Mmmmm, suet cake! (LOL!)

    Nice pics, Tabor!

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  5. It's such fun to watch their antics. Love your Titmouse and Downy caption :) Great pics.
    So far this morning I've counted 3 male Downys and 1 female, plus 1 male Hairy. But I'm not officially counting today. I do that Friday and Saturday. It gets to be a habit though :)
    Lots of birds at the feeders this chilly morning...24ºF.

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  6. I love woodpeckers. Good pics.

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  7. Must get some more feeder blocks. What incredible birds and photos. Do you use any special lenses/ tripods and stuff?

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  8. delightful photos and words -wishing you and yours a Happy Christmas, Tabor. Thanks for all wonderful posts this year!

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  9. Woodpeckers are among my favourite birds. Such sweet images.

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  10. What a great view you have of them! I hang a suet feeder too, but I can't get a clear view of it for the tree it's hanging in.

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  11. Pretty! I love watching the birds on my feeder too. :)

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  12. I simply love woodpeckers...We have flickers, downeys and pileated here. I especially love spotting a pileated as he flips expertly through the forest...he brings back my childhood memories of Woody.

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  13. I'm jealous.

    We are enjoying juncos in abundance this year for the first time ever,
    so patience I suppose.

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  14. Wonderful images. Thank you for posting them.

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.