"Dude! Seriously! Get off my feeder!"

Okay, not as dramatic as yesterday's woodpecker altercation, but just as interesting in its own way. The WP on the left is a Red-Bellied WP (melanerpes carolinus) and the one on the right is a Hairy WP (picoides villousus). This is the first time I've ever seen them both on the suet feeder at the same time which is what caught my eye. The Hairy was on hyper-alert from the minute he landed, with the little feathers on his head standing straight up - very comical. In this shot, he had hitched himself around the side of the feeder to see if he could scare the other WP off. No dice. The red-bellied WP just continued to eat his suet, never batting an eye.

It was a good final day of the GBBC. Lots of birds at the feeders, including a rafter of 23 wild turkeys! Always fun to see them galloping out of the woods. There was one Tom in the group - he'll be a busy boy in a month or so unless some other toms show up! Today's assortment of shots, including one of the Tom Turkey, is on Flickr, starting HERE if you're inclined to have a peek.

Thank you very much for sending my dueling woodpeckers to the Spotlight yesterday - where they've spent most of the day! I'm so glad that you enjoyed them as much as I did. As a nature photographer, there are some shots that you just feel really good about getting - that was one of those shots for me. So, thanks for liking them!

Back to physical therapy for me tomorrow morning which is good. Five more weeks ... Which will just about coincide with the beginning of spring!!! And can I just tell you that I am DYING for spring to arrive! I keep looking out at the garden, all covered with snow, imagining how it will look in a few months. And, of course, I am now counting down until the first week of May ... when the hummingbirds return!!!

Later!

xxoo
Debbi