JBigg: Life in Kentucky: April 2016

Looking Out the Window: The Red-bellied Woodpecker

As I look out the window, it's another exciting day at the bird feeders in my backyard. A red-bellied woodpecker is visiting. I have been watching this guy further out in the yard pecking away for insects on one of our trees. Today, he has decided to come closer and let me get a few pics with my camera.

A red cap, white cheeks, and a zebra-striped back distinguish this woodpecker.

The red on his belly is a little hard to see, so look closely and you can begin to see the red.

I read here that their feed behavior includes searching for insects on tree trunks, and major limbs.

Their diet may be more than 50% plant materials at some seasons, including acorns and other nuts, wild and cultivated fruit, seeds. Occasional items in diet include tree frogs, eggs of small birds, , oozing sap, and even small fish.

Thanks for stopping by for another day of Life in Kentucky - Judy

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Lavendar Cottage

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Mondays

Our World @ Our World Tuesday Meme

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ StoneGable Blog

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With an E

Winter Blues Wednesday@ DIY by Design

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern

the weekend retreat @ AKA Design on Thursdays

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

Photo Friday @ Pierced Wonderings

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen

The Bird De'Pot @ I'd Rather Be Birdin

Camera Critters

The Bouquet of Talent Party @ Life on Lakeshore Drive - Saturday

Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life on Saturday

Two Rockers and A View

I have two rockers from Cracker Barrel on my front porch here in Kentucky. Both were gifts from my husband, one for our anniversary in late December and one for my birthday in March. I do remember a few years ago they were priced about $100 and was I surprised how much that price has gone up.

Now is a perfect time to sit in the rockers and enjoy the view of my front yard and flower beds. The earliest signs of spring brought this look to my yard with the pear trees and daffodils.

Now those have dropped their blooms and I have moved into purple bearded irises.

Our pink weigela buds are opening.

A couple of rose buds have opened.

My husband planted four pink dogwoods and 4 white dogwoods this spring and we were happy to see a few blooms open.

I have a lot to be thankful for with these beautiful blooms and the color in my yard.

Thanks for stopping by for another day of Life in Kentucky - Judy.

Linking to:

A Garden Party @ Share Your Cup

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Lavender Cottage

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm

Celebrate Your Story @ Sweet Sensations

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ StoneGable Blog

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With an E

Tweak It Tuesday @ Cozy Little House

Swing Into Spring@ DIY by Design

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wow Us Wednesdays @ Savvy Southern Style on Tuesday evening

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday

Share Your Style Link Party @ The Essence of Home on Thursday evening

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home on Thursday

Weekend Retreat @ AKA Design Blog

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Inspiration Thursday @ In The New House

The Creative Circle @ Domestic Charm

Photo Friday @ Pierced Wonderings

Feathered Nest Friday @ The French Country Cottage

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

The Bouquet of Talent Party @ Life on Lakeshore Drive - Saturday

DIY Sunday Showcase @ The Interior Frugalista - Saturday

Sundays at Home @ Love of Home

Inspiration Monday @ Our Southern Home

Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life

Looking Out the Window: The Downy Woodpecker

Looking out the window today, there was a female Downy Woodpecker feeding on a fruit berry nut and seed bell.

The Downy woodpecker has a checkered black and white appearance.

The Downy's beak is considered small and is about one third of the length of the rest of the head.

In addition to identifying the Downy by its shorter beak, the tail feathers are another way. The Downy's outer tail feathers are patterned with black and white. Take a look at the tail feathers in the collage below and you can see the outer tail feathers are black and white (giving a checkered appearance).

You can really get a good look at the tail feathers in the next collage.

The Downy head is boldly striped, and the back has a wide white stripe down the center as read here.

I was so excited the very next morning, a male downy came to visit. You can see in the collage below, the male downy has a red patch on the back of his head and the female does not. I took a lot of pictures but was not able to capture his tail feathers.

While I was taking pictures of the male downy, a male cardinal dropped in. The cardinal sat on a branch but I could tell he was wanting a bite of the fruit berry nut and seed bell. That didn't go over well with the downy and the cardinal was quickly given the boot.

Note that the red patch on the back of the male downy's head is a solid red patch. I love the first picture in the collage below. He held this position with his head back for a few seconds and I was able to take five shots before he moved.

I wish I had pictures of the Hairy Woodpecker so we could look at differences between the Hairy and the Downy. Maybe one day I will have the opportunity to photograph the Hairy. Here are a couple of links if you want to check out the distinguishing features of the Hairy and the Downey. It's very helpful. Here and here.

For now, I am very pleased to capture images of the Downy male and female woodpeckers.

Thanks for stopping by for another day of Life in Kentucky - Judy.

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Lavender Cottage

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday

Our World @ Our World Tuesday Meme

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ StoneGable Blog

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With an E

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm

Photo Friday @ Pierced Wonderings

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen

Camera Critters

Looking Out the Window: The Brown Thrasher

Looking out my window, I could see a fairly large bird with a long tail sitting on one of the branches off the deck. I got my camera and zoomed in to take a look at its details.

The Brown Thrasher is foxy brown color with heavy dark streaking on its whitish underparts. I read here that it is a songbird with legs that are long and sturdy, and the bill is long and slightly down curved.

The Brown Thrasher has bright yellow eyes as seen below.

He has come to visit in the tree by the deck but I haven't seen him on any of my feeders. I have put out a new feeder with black oil sunflower seeds so I'm hoping to see him more often.

Thanks for stopping by for another day of Life in Kentucky - Judy.

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Lavendar Cottage

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Our World @ Our World Tuesday Meme

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ StoneGable Blog

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe With an E

Winter Blues Wednesday@ DIY by Design

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern

Favorite Things Thursday @ Katherine's Corner

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen

The Bird De'Pot @ I'd Rather Be Birdin

Camera Critters

The Bouquet of Talent Party @ Life on Lakeshore Drive - Saturday

Sunny Simple Sunday @ Sunny Simple Life on Saturday

Spring Colors on the Peninsula

Many of you know how I love the color aqua so I'm designing another scape for the peninsula with this beautiful soft color.

Although orange is a bold color, the orange in the salad plates (Pier 1) is pale and looks soft next to the aqua.

I think I could set the table every day with aqua. You may be surprised the bubble stemware came from Michael's Crafts a year or so ago. I remember being taken back that Michael's had such beautiful aqua stemware.

The aqua flowered vase came from Pier 1 a few years back but I still saw one in the Paducah, KY store last week. The flower petals are so delicate and easy to chip. The birds are from Michael's.

We are really experiencing Spring weather here in Western Kentucky. We have even been sitting on the deck a few times and soaking up a little sunshine. The birds just love our feeders and will visit even with us sitting out as long as we aren't too noisy.