Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Soft and Downy

Isn't she just?  Look, there are even lots of little feathers all around the base of her beak.  I don't know if those are what they term 'rictal bristles' or just some soft, downy feathers... either way I think they are cute.

This is a little lady Downy Woodpecker that comes to the suet cage for her favourite.  Peanut butter and bugs.  Suet cakes I buy at the bird feed shop.  They, and the Northern Flickers get on there and hang... literally ... sometimes it appears as though they are snoozing...but, sometimes, maybe they just refuse to get off and give anybody else a chance.

There is a "pecking order" too it seems.  If the little Downy is on there and a big ol' Northern Flicker shows up....well, the little one flies off for a bit.   But, she comes back... and so does her boyfriend... I've never seen it the other way around.  No Flickers leave if a little Downy shows up for grub.  Big Meanies.
Don't forget... click to make larger to see details if you like.













Waiting patiently for me to finish shovelling so she can come into the patio for her suet cage.  Not too nervous at all...unlike the big Flickers... who take off the instant I go out there.  They may be big meanies in the bird world...but, they are afraid of me.  Hah....
















Here is one of the big Flickers...  all fluffed out so he looks even bigger.  It is -25C these days and they puff out their feathers to keep warm I guess.  And...below...... ...the little lady Downy so you can see the size difference.  Sorry they are a bit soft focus looking... almost fuzzy... they were taken with the venetian in the way...but, didn't want to scare them off so left it.















Linking up with Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday again... check them out by clicking on the photos below.







10 comments:

Shashi Nayagam said...

Lovely pictures of the birds. Downy is so cute. You stay swarm now and don't overdo that shovelling. Do you have a machine that shovels? It is backbreaking job. I tried it once when we had a little snow and still it was hard moving the snow.

Lea said...

Great bird photos!
Hope you are having a wonderful week!

Liz Needle said...

Te Little Downy is such a sweetie - would love to see them in the flesh, so to speak. The larger bird is a very handsome fellow.

Twiglet said...

We have have woodpeckers too - not quite as fluffy as yours but cute nevertheless. No snow here yet but think its on its way. x Jo

Magpie's Mumblings said...

We have a pair of downy woodpeckers that come to our feeder too - so cute. No flickers here so the downies just have to argue with the nuthatches and the starlings (that are supposed to go south for the winter, but haven't).

Black Jack's Carol said...

I love to see woodpeckers of every and any variety so this was great fun to view! We have flickers here (Vancouver) but I hear them more often than I see them. Your one photo of the large one is especially wonderful! The Downy was a treat as well!

Judy Biggerstaff said...

Love those little downy. They visit me every day. Sure wish I would get a flicker but haven't been or photographed any so far.

Stewart M said...

I love woodpeckers - we don't have nay in Australia - used to have them in my garden in the UK, so I miss them.

Cheers - Stewart M - (temporarily in) New Zealand

Sylvia said...

You've taken lovely pictures of those sweet birds, Vee !

And ... I think congratulations are in order ... :-)
Happy Birthday to you and your husband !
Hope you're having a nice week,
Sylvia

Linda said...

Your photos are so pretty and I love your header. I do love winter. Thank you so much for sharing, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)