The Red-Bellied Woodpecker

 I moved a couple of feeders to the birch trees just off our back deck. It didn't take long till I started seeing a few woodpeckers at the suet feeders.

This red-bellied woodpecker is a female. You can see the gray crown on her head and the red running down the nape of her neck. The woodpeckers visit my area year round and love to eat from the suet feeders.

They often hide their food in the cracks of trees to have food for later.

Did you know the female can lay up to five eggs? 

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

Caught In The Act

I've been enjoying the return of the hummingbirds as they start to visit my feeders. 

But, I got a surprise when I looked out the window . . .

There he was . . . a red-bellied woodpecker drinking out of one of my hummingbird feeder. 

I just had to get a pic of this guy. 

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturdays
Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

At the Feeders and in the Trees - Week 30

I am thankful that the temperatures have been a bit cooler in our area making it enjoyable to be outside. Watering has been a must in my gardens.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker visits our suet feeders most days of the week. I have photographed him many times but I love this particular pic.

What I love about this pic is the distinctness of his face and eye.

The Carolina Chickadee is always so fun to watch at our feeders.

I had a few sunflowers come up in a flower pot close to the feeders and have been waiting to capture the Goldfinches eating the seeds. 

The Tufted Titmouse is a year-round visit in our area. He is a slate gray bird with a white chest and belly but you have to notice his pointed crest. 

Have a great day - Judy.

Linking to:

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life
Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings
Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Tuesday

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

The Scoop @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson on Wednesday evening
Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Share Your Style Link Party @ 21 Rosemary Lane on Wednesday evening

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life on Wednesday evening

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Grace at Home @ The Charm of Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage on Thursday evening

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Saturday Sparkles @ Pieced Pastimes on Friday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Create, Bake, Grow & Gather @ Shabby Art Boutique on Friday


Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturdays
Camera Critters on Saturday
I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

Table It Link Party @ Life and Linda
Inspiration Monday @ Our Southern Home
Dishing It and Digging It @ Rustic & Refined on Sundays

At the Feeders and in the Trees - Week 24

With the sleet, snow and ice over the past few days in Western Kentucky, the birds need all the food and water that we can provide.

Here's how my feeders looked when I got home today. I have 11 feeders and they were all empty. I did start filling them quickly.

On a brighter note, I had a couple of new visitors to my feeders and got a few shots to share.

The White-crowned Sparrow was a first for me to photograph. Notice his distinctive head with the black and white stripes, pink peak and gray breast. 

The second new visitor for me this week was the Eastern Towhee. This one is the female towhee, hope the male comes to visit soon. 

They are in the sparrow family and are a chunky bird with a long, rounded tail. I read they spend most of their time on the ground, but with the ice and snow, they are at my feeders. 

Other visitors this week include: 


Cardinals

Dark-eyed Junco (love his pink peak)

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker (with a female cardinal behind)

Thanks for stopping by and please keep your feeders full and your water thawed - Judy.

Linking to:

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturdays
Camera Critters on Saturday
I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Photo Gallery
Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have A Cup of Mrs. Olson
Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life
Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Friday Photo Journal @ Serendipity is Sweet

At the Feeders and in the Trees - Week 20

A Chipping Sparrow visited this week. Take a look:

A Northern Mockingbird is still visiting and gave me a quick shot while he stopped on top of a hanging water source near the deck. 

This little American Goldfinch is all puffed out. Hope he is not sick and is just trying to stay warm.

I am seeing the Purple Finch and Cardinals at the feeders this week. 

The red-bellied woodpecker is a regular visitor to the upside-down suet feeders or scavenging up and down the birch trees. 

I'm thankful that the birds visit my feeders. It bring me such pleasure to watch them. 

Our Mexican Sage and Elephant ears have put on a beautiful show this summer and early fall but tonight may be their last night of the season. Our temps our supposed to be in the lower 30's. 

I will cut the elephant ears back and dig the bulbs to store in our shop for the winter. The sage isn't hardy for our zone but I'm going to try cutting it back and use a thick layer of mulch and hope to see sprouts in the spring. I'm also going to try to gather some seeds from the sage. The purple color of the sage was gorgeous. 

Thanks for stopping by to see the birds at the feeders and in the trees - Judy.

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

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Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 

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

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Friday Photo Journal

Sweet Inspiration Link Party @ The Boondocks Blog on Fridays 

At the Feeders and in the Trees - Week 19

We have been seeing a hawk around the back of our property for a few months but I never can get close enough to get a decent pic of him. Lately, he has been coming a bit closer to our house and I was able to get a few pics of him on the ground. Although they are not perfect shots, I am just happy to be able to try to identify him. I believe he is a Broad-winged hawk. I'm hoping he keeps visiting and that I get lucky for more pics. 

I've had a mockingbird at my feeders the last couple of days, which is unusual. Usually I just seem them in the trees or on the ground.

In the next pic of the Red-bellied woodpecker, you can really see the markings on his back and head. 

The Carolina Chickadee visits every day.

Check out his black cap.

I''m always thankful for the birds that visit my feeders and yard. Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

image-in-ing

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 

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

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Friday Photo Journal

Sweet Inspiration Link Party @ The Boondocks Blog on Fridays 

At the Feeders and in the Trees - Week 17

The small Downy Woodpecker is always a welcomed guest to my suet feeders or scooting up and down the trunks of our birch trees looking for insects. In the second pic of the collage, you can see he was sitting on the deck railing looking up at the suet feeder then up to a branch and  over to the feeder he went. He also likes to eat at the upside down suet feeder. 

The Red-bellied Woodpecker came to my suet feeder this weeks too. He is a medium sized woodpecker with a nice red cap and barred back. The Red-bellied likes to drink from my hummingbird feeders. The first time I saw him hanging on to their feeders, I was shocked. No wonder my hummingbird feeders were empty every day. You wouldn't think with his big thick bill, he could drink out of their feeder. 

A Carolina Wren was first eating loose seeds on our deck, then on the deck railing, then quickly up to the upside down suet feeder. You can really get a look at his warm buffy orange belly in the third pic of the collage. Only the male Carolina Wren sings. 

I am happy to see that I still have hummingbirds at the feeders. I know it won't be for much longer.

That's it for this week. Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Friday Photo Journal

Sweet Inspiration Link Party @ The Boondocks Blog on Fridays

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

image-in-ing

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life 

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

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

At the Feeders and in the Trees - Week 2

I am happy to see that the Carolina Wren has been visiting my feeders again.

The white eyebrow stripe helps to identify him. 

His tail is usually cocked upward. 

House Sparrows have also been spotted at the feeders. It doesn't seem to bother him that a Downy Woodpecker is on the other side of the suet feeder.

I have noticed that the Downy will let me walk out on the deck, which is right beside the feeders, and doesn't fly off. 

The House Sparrow doesn't let me get chose at all. I'm shooting this pic from the other side of my sliding door to the deck. 

In the next couple of photos, you can see how much larger the Red-bellied Woodpecker is than the Downy. 

I don't see them on the feeder at the same time, usually the Downy waits for the Red-bellied to leave. Sometimes he waits on a nearby branch for his turn.

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life on Sunday evening

The Scoop @ Stone Gable Blog

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern on Tuesday evening

Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention Gallery

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Simple & Sweet Fridays @ Rooted in Thyme on Wednesday evening

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

Foodie Friday & Everything Else @ Rattlebridge Farm on Thursday evening

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

Camera Critters on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birdin' on Saturday at noon