Festivus Animals and Motivational Poster

Err, Day AFTER Festivus Animals:



I've prepared this pic instructional poster due to popular confusion regarding the Red-bellied Woodpecker's nomenclature. Sure, its red head is quite noticeable...but is it more so than that of the Red-headed Woodpecker? I'd call it the "Fancy Zebra Jacketed Woodpecker", but the Golden-fronted Woodpecker has one, too. So here we are:

Cross-posted at Whiskey Fire. And Tres Toros. Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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There Can Be Only One (1)!

Other Business: Downy Woodpecker and Hairy Woodpecker







P.S. I blame fish, of course.
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Neighborhood Animals

Kitty heard a bird!



Nutkin chose a small tree to hide in. He/she/it/squirrel was not pleased with the results.



The Frank Fetch Park hibiscus has a new flower already.


UPDATE: I hadn't included this pic so far because it isn't that sharp. On the other hand, it's the best cardinal picture I've gotten this year. They're quite camera-shy...practically the pileated woodpecker of downtown Columbus.

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Happy May Day 2014

Have some Eastern Redbud and Forsythia.

Would you believe a very large woodpecker on a small suet feeder?

How about some Billy Bragg:

You can sign a petition to reject "Fast Track" authority for the TPP.
And/Or you can read Avedon's links.

Cross-posted at Whiskey Fire. Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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Red-bellied Woodpeckers DO Have Red Bellies

Sure, the red head is much more prominent...but many woodpecker species also have red heads.

Other Business: Dawgs


Electra:


Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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Fire on the Mountain and Geese on Lake Siri

Carmi's Thematic Photographic 356 is Electricity.
I saw this when walking up one of the mountain roads on Sunday.

I also heard lots of sirens. Tuesday, I took a look at the source of that smoke. I heard an electrical problem is a suspect.

I'm also linking to Michelle's Nature Notes (#339).
These Blacknose Dace live in Warm Spring Run along with the guppies. (I tried to get a better picture of them, but they are quite wary.)

I was wondering how close the geese by Lake Siri would let me get...



Update: I'm also linking to Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday 174. Here's Mrs. Downy Woodpecker at the suet feeder, and a Carolina Wren through the basement sliding doors.


Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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Things That Go Bump In The Night

UPDATE: Here's part of the limb with the woodpecker holes.




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Birdie Bush Update

Carmi's Thematic Photographic 365 is Lens. Here is a picture of my Canon G15 lens (along with the rest of it, the remote shutter, and my tripod).

Mr. and Mrs. Downy Woodpecker on the deck table, Thursday, January 21, 2016, 10:24:29 AM:

I'm also contributing to Michelle's Nature Notes (#348). We had no seed here in D.C., so I put out some whole wheat bread for the birds in the birdie bush.

I guessed the sparrows would like it the more, but I think the cardinals actually ate most of it. I put a slice on a branch, but they pecked it onto the ground and seemed more comfortable getting it there. I also put out some Granny Smith apple cores. They liked those, too.

Yesterday, I was able to get some birdseed:


I'm sticking with the birdie bush for TexWiscGirl's Good Fences 97. The bush is as full of birds as I've ever seen it. (By the way, this is my current guess at its identification.)

Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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Dirt, Cheap

Carmi's Thematic Photographic 266 is Let's get dirty.

Here's the compost heap out back. Somehow, no matter how many leaves, coffee grounds, and vegetable detritus I put here, no dirt builds up. I suppose it just gets washed down the mountain. At least it doesn't go into the landfill...

There's not much dirt in the parking lot, either. But we've got plenty of leaves.

Critter Time!

The flocks these days are more likely to have a Downey Woodpecker or two along with the Tufted Titmice, White-Breasted Nuthatches, and Chickadees.



Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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