Thankful Sunday

I'm thankful for a rotting fence.

We have a split rail fence around the entire perimeter of our backyard, and it seems as if one rail or another is always rotting. This requires continual maintenance and I find that annoying. But not yesterday. Yesterday, a pileated woodpecker decided that the decaying fence rails were the perfect place to look for bugs. He stayed long enough going up and down the fence that I had time to go inside and get my camera. This sighting made my whole morning. So for my rotting fence and the visitor it brought, I am thankful.

A Second Look--March 25, 2015

Signs of spring are finally here both on the calendar and in the yard. Here a few of them I saw this week during a Second Look.

What would any spring be without a variety of weather? We had four more inches of snow.

We saw more birds on the feeder during the snow including another visit from this female pileated woodpecker.

As soon as the pileated flew away, this red-bellied woodpecker swooped in for a snack.

As usual, the squirrels were around getting their share. But notice, new daffodils are poking up also.

There was one lone crocus that was trying to bloom during the snow.

But the snow melted quickly (because it's Spring), and three more crocuses have bloomed.

Including this little crocus that was planted in the middle of the yard by a squirrel.

And what could symbolize Spring more than a robin?

A Second Look--March 4, 2015

Sunday, we canceled our planned activities and spent the whole day indoors because of an ice storm. Even though we didn't go out, once again we enjoyed the show the birds and critters provided. Along about the middle of the afternoon, what did to my wondering eyes appear? A pileated woodpecker!
She was noshing on a suet cake with all of her beauty and grandeur. Although we see other woodpeckers in abundance, we only see a pileated one about once or twice a year. I was excited to say the least.

Here are a few things I saw this week

during a Second Look.

Sunday morning began with snow and turned to sleet and freezing rain in the afternoon.

We always see plenty of juncos around the area of feeder.

But what we hadn't noticed until last weekend was the huge littering of sunflower seed shells under the patio table. Apparently, the juncos have been getting seeds from the feeder and going under the table to eat them.

The suet disappears a lot faster when the squirrels are eating than when the birds are.

On the left is the pileated woodpecker that visited. As soon as she left, a male downy woodpecker (right) flew in. Downy woodpeckers are the most common kind we see at the feeder. Notice how much bigger the pileated one is.

This is the pileated taking off just before the downy flew in. The pileateds are known for the white under their wings which is very evident here. I also find it interesting that, even with that big wing flap, her toes are still anchored to the feeder.