A female hairy woodpecker (I think) works on excavating a hole in the trunk of a dead tree last week at Taylor Creek Park. © BCP 2011
I thought we were supposed to have April showers (to bring the May flowers, of course.) So what’s with these April monsoons we’ve been having? It seems like every time I look out the window, it’s either teeming or pouring. And when it’s not doing that, it’s spitting. Or hailing. Or sleeting.
Needless to say, it has not been very propititious for photo expeditions. I did manage to get out Thursday afternoon for a wee bit, but haven’t even seen those images yet. So I’m posting a photo I took last week when I was out in Taylor Creek Park looking for spring wildflowers.
I think my feathered friend above is a female . . . um. . . hairy? woodpecker (Picoides villosus). As you can see from the photo, this bird was very busy concentrating on excavating a hole in this downed tree, and she allowed me to approach quite close. I think by her largish size and comparatively long beak (it’s longer than immediately evident in the photo) she must be a hairy woodpecker, not a downy.
I’d be most grateful if someone more knowledgeable than I let me know if I’m right. I’ve been known to be wrong on the downy/hairy issue before.
Thanking all my birder friends in advance.
© BCP 2011
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