Red Headed Woodpecker

The Red Headed Woodpeckers really catch your eye with the red and white. A beautiful bird.

What catches our eye in spiritual things? For me it is the hope and grace God offers. We were made to serve God. But because of our shortcomings we lose heart and give up. God is mindful that we are but dust and extends to us His grace to continue with a new start. Let us rejoice and give thanks to His name.

Downy Woodpecker

Mr Downy came by for a visit this morning during devotions. The rat a tat tat on this branch was his way of saying hello..

This woodpecker is a frequent visitor to our area. His ancestors decided to bore a hole in our shed years ago. I chased them off by throwing sticks at him. But even with this, I am happy to see any bird that comes by. The oldest recorded male was 11 years old.

Feeding woodpeckers don't make that much noise. They don't have a song so they use the rat a tat tat as their song. 

I give thanks to the Lord for what He has done for me. I enjoy what He is doing now and I trust in Him for the future.

Psalm 150:1 "Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse."

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

I caught this Red-Bellied woodpecker last spring. Their range extends from the Atlantic into Texas, Kansas and just the SE corner of Nebraska, Iowa and the southern half of Minnesota. They nest in old tree snags and will also use bird houses. They like to eat acorns and in the south will eat oranges making themselves a pest. Many woodpeckers will store extra acorns in dead snags and defend their catch. But apparently the Red-Bellied Woodpeckers don't defend their catch for some reason..

Feeding birds at a backyard bird feeder may extend their range. The Red-Bellied Woodpecker has moved its range further north because of  food being available from backyard bird feeders.

Our walk with the Lord is enhanced by the availability of spiritual food. We gain much strength as we become nourished from reading and studying the Bible.

Father, let me continue to meditate on Your rich word to me. Thank you for all you have given me. Let me use it for your glory.

Downy Woodpeckers

The male has the red splash on its head.

Red Headed Woodpecker

Found these woodpeckers along the Missouri river.

Red-headed wood peckers are attracted to burned areas and recent clearings. They usually nest in a hole on a dead tree or a dead branch on a live tree. Red-headed woodpeckers do not use bird houses. Starlings and bluejays will steal their eggs. 

The red head is striking to see. A beautiful bird to watch.

These birds are monogamous. 

Starlings will out compete the Red headed woodpecker for nesting holes.

The Brown headed cow bird will lay its eggs in a Red headed woodpeckers nest, but the woodpecker will not incubate the the eggs.

When light is low the white lower back also is a sure identification sign. The Ivory billed woodpecker also has a white lower back. Yet it is very rare and is twice the size of the Red-headed.

Psalm 19:1
"The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands."

Red-bellied Woodpecker

I had been cutting wood in my back yard and stopped to rest after the gas ran out of the saw. After about 5 minutes the birds starting coming back into the area. I saw Blue Jays, Robins, many House sparrows, a few Blacked Capped Chickadees. Then I noticed this Red-bellied Woodpecker. I trained my camera to the spot and zoomed to 300 mm. This wood pecker was content to stay there for a while and I got many photos. This seems to be the best one.



Here the wood pecker has just taken off by jumping off the limb. He has not opened his wings yet.

Canon EOS REBEL T3
F-stop f/5.6
ISO-200
1/1600 sec
280mm

Woodpecker Holes

If you look closely at these American basswood trees you can see lines of horizontal hole drilled by woodpeckers. They will eat sap in the spring. They eat insects found around and in the bark.

They also engage in drumming to announce their territory or to attract a mate. They don't have a song to anounce their presence. If these trees are hollow they may have been drumming on this tree.



You don't hear a woodpecker unless he is working. We should have this kind of industry.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."
1 Corinthians 15:58

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Here are a few photos of a Red Bellied woodpecker


These 2 photos show how they brace themselves against the tree with their tail feathers.



Psalm 106:4
"Remember me, O Lord, in Your favor toward Your people;
Visit me with Your salvation."

Downy Woodpecker

Friday's lunch hike yielded this Downy woodpecker.

Downy and Harry woodpeckers are the only ones with a white back in the middle.
Harry woodpecker is larger and has a longer beak. Though I couldn't see the beak in any of the photos I took and being far away, I am not positive that the woodpecker is of the smaller size.

I heard the woodpecker for a while before I saw it. Being patient and scanning the branches above I finally spotted it.



This photo shows how the tail is used to brace against the tree when the woodpecker is after food.


Jeremiah 17:210
"I, the Lord, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give to each man according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds."

Red Headed Woodpecker

Saw this Redheaded woodpecker on my hike yesterday. The squirrel below chased the woodpecker away when he landed on the squirrel's tree.

This woodpecker made a lot of racket. You can hear its call here. But this recording does not do justice to the racket that the woodpecker I saw yesterday made.


Psalm 20:4,5 "May He grant you your heart's desire,
And fulfill all your counsel!
We will sing for joy over your victory,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners,
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions."

Black Backed Woodpecker/E Blue bird

I saw a female Black Backed Woodpecker in Lincoln cemetery. Pecking away at the top of a dead tree. Before I left I saw 3 of them.



E Blue Birds like to sit on the frisbee golf posts. When a new bird comes to land the 1st bird hops out of the way. I saw one fly into the wind and use the wind for a break, stopping the flight then dropping to a suport line to a power pole. I saw both male and female.