Gila Woodpecker II

We were back again this morning at San Pedro House (near Sierra Vista AZ). Though the sun was bright as usual, the trees around the house and the feeders left most of the blip-accessible birds in in shadow.

Gila woodpeckers were all around, but the only good non-feeder shot that I captured was this one--not a natural perch but at least a clear full-length view (it's a male, with a red cap--compare the small head peeking out in 30 October's blip). It shows nicely how a woodpecker uses its rugged tail feathers to brace itself against a vertical surface (normally a tree, of course).