Northern Flicker visit

The Northern Flicker is a year round resident in North Carolina. It is a brown and white woodpecker with a red spot on the back of its neck, the nape. It has a very bold black mark above a speckled breast and the male has a black 'mustache'.

It has been a few years since I have seen them visit my yard. Yesterday as I was about to let my dog out into the backyard I saw two Northern Flickers ground feeding! Nice surprise! Tivo had to wait until they finished looking for food before I let her out. The Northern Flicker is the only woodpecker to habitually eat from the ground preferring ants and grubs and such. I watched as these two welcome visitors found and ate what appeared to be grubs from my yard. I wondered why I don't see them more often in my yard as they are here year round but it may be that in the winter I get the northern migrants. Regardless of where they come from and how long they stay they are a welcome sight!

The Birds are Back!

I have had the opportunity to see a lot of bird activity since I last wrote. I don't know where they go or why they go, probably because they can, but they are here now! This is who I have seen these last 2 weeks.

* Sharp-shinned Hawk, sitting on the fence, 7 A.M.
* Dark-eyed Junco, feeding on the ground around feeder, about 12 to 15 birds, 9:30 A.M.
* Purple Finch, at feeder, 10 A.M.
* Also all the regulars mentioned earlier

Quiet!

It has been very quiet out back! No bird activity at the feeders and only a few sparrows spotted at the back of the yard. I am wondering why it is so quiet. The weather has been good; mild and no rain. The day I had all the activity at the feeder we had a good rain late morning. I am wondering if the weather is the connection to the quiet or did they eat all the "good stuff" from the feeders and have gone to another somewhere? Or perhaps they are coming later in the morning after I have left for work? I will just keep watching and buy some better bird seed!

Backyard birding

Today I begin writing about birding in the backyard. As I begin this journey I keep in mind what I recently read about blogging: it is not about opinion but it is about viewing the world in a certain way and sharing that view with others. My view often centers around what is happening in my very own backyard. I am very fortunate to have a good size yard with a very large, old Oak tree which is inviting to the birds and a great source of shade for me in the summer!

Today I saw the following birds visit my simple plastic bird feeder:

 - a pair of Blue birds! The first sighting in my yard this season!

 - a pair of Brown-headed Nuthatch

 - several Tufted Titmouse

 - one female Red-bellied Woodpecker

 - several Carolina  Chickadees

 - a variety of Sparrows

 

I am preparing several workshops to be given at the garden center where I work. I will be using my blog to help me get my ideas together and share my thoughts with anyone who happens to pass by this way! May it be helpful to you and me!

 

As always the journey continues!