Brave or Hungry?

This is a red-headed woodpecker and he's a frequent visitor to our balcony bird feeder this summer. He likes corn as well as peanut-based suet dough. He doesn't like me much though, and will usually abandon his descent on to the runway if he spots me waiting in the arrivals lounge (aka our bedroom), camera in hand (or not). Maybe it was the miserable weather today (woken up by a thunderstorm at 6 am and it rained for 12 solid hours) that made him extra specially hungry, but I was surprised when he swooped in right in front of me and ate his fill. He even let me turn the camera through 90 degrees. I expect normal behaviour will be resumed as soon as possible (tomorrow), but for today, I was delighted to be able to have him for my blip.

I say he, but he could be a she - the sexes are not easy to tell apart. I've never seen more than two at the same time, but I suspect we have more than one pair. Either that or they eat a lot. We are lucky to have them, as the species has declined quite seriously over the last 50 years due to habitat loss.

I wanted to go down to the woods today to photograph the trillium that is covering the forest floor, but sad to say, the mosquitoes were too thick to make this possible. They chased me all the way back to the house too. They could probably have picked me up and carried me! I hope that all the trail clearing that I did in the early spring will not turn out to be in vain. Meanwhile, I'm about to go on Amazon to buy a fishing hat - the sort that covers your entire face and ties around the neck. Stay tuned.

Some more wet birds from today:
Rose-breasted grosbeak (female)
Catbird (very soggy)

Polk County, Wisconsin