Look who came to visit me yesterday, a Northern Flicker! Another of my favorite birds. I was surprised to see him spending a lot of time on the ground on the lawn, and at first I thought there was something wrong.
I just love the red heart-shaped patch on the back of his head.
Back at our house in the campground in Poland, I only saw them on the feeder in the winter. After looking at the photos I took, and reading more about him online, I realized one of their food sources is ants underground, and they’ll peck away at the ground much like other woodpeckers peck at trees.
It didn’t take long before this one heard the click, click, click of the camera all the way across the lawn from my porch. It sat still for at least five minutes.
Then suddenly, it stretched its wings . . .
showing the yellow underside of their wings. So beautiful!
It scratched a little itch.
Puffed up a bit . . .
and then it was gone.
It was such a cool, unexpected sighting! I hope he comes by again soon.