Gesundheit!

I've probably taken at least several thousand photos of this species of woodpecker (red-bellied) as they are frequent visitors to our feeders year-round.  I have to say, however, that I have never seen on get all puffed up like this!  They are usually sleek and rather elegant even at this time of year when they are busy feeding fledglings.  And, in fact, this handsome male was very sleek when he first landed - but he then started a fast chatter and puffed up to twice his usual size.  I am not sure what caused him to do this, but maybe the trials of fatherhood finally got to him...while he was chattering and puffing, one of his babies was calling from up in the maple trees.  Just proves that nature can always throw the unexpected your way, so it pays to take time to watch.

I had the first juvenile red-bellied woodpecker make an appearance on the deck this morning, too - having been summonsed by Dad.  I've posted two shots of him HERE, on his own and shortly after with his sleeker-looking dad.  They were after the suet feeder that was (past tense) hanging from a branch on the deck.

You notice I said was, not is...unfortunately, sometime early this afternoon, a bear raided the seed feeder in the yard and the suet feeder on the deck.  Seed feeder is destroyed and suet feeder-cage is missing - no doubt having been carried off into the woods to be stored with all the other missing suet cages.  Damn bear.  I didn't see it this time, just the aftermath.  Very irritating.  And a bummer for all the woodpeckers (downies, hairies and red-bellies) that have been visiting it with their youngsters.  I was just telling someone yesterday that I hadn't seen any evidence of a bear for over a month...obviously, I jinxed myself.

Happily, the bear has not developed a taste for nectar (some bears do) so my 7 sugar-water feeders are, for the moment, safe.  Good thing, because I'd hate to have to tell a swarm of pissed-off hummies that there was no nectar!

Scattered heavy rains are keeping me close to home today.  I was planning to head out with the macro lens to take some droplet shots in the yard, but now I am reluctant since I don't know where the bear is - and  I am not at all eager to have a surprise encounter with it.   Damn bear.  

Thank you for visiting!

TTFN
Deb