Spotted and Potted

I frequently see this male Northern Flicker, but he is always on the move.  This morning he was more interested in the grubs he was after and paused enough times for me to get a pic.

Early in the evening, a male Pileated woodpecker visited by suet block.  Given the warm temperatures lately, the suet was quite soft and he got it all over his bill.  He proceeded to shake his head and scratch his bill with his feet in effort to clean up.

Male Northern Flicker 

Male Pileated Woodpecker

A Pileated Post

I spotted a male Pileated Woodpecker drumming on a powerline pole this morning.  I even got a short video.  After he drums on the pole, he climbs to watch and listen for any potential mates that noticed his courting rhythms.

Patience, pileated.

Sitting very still, I was snapping pics of the little chickadees and red polls at my feeders, hoping some the color I saw earlier would return: blue jay, white-breasted nuthatches, red-bellied woodpecker, and a purple finch.  I was just about to pack it in, when he showed up.  I was very close to this nervous Pileated Woodpecker (about 7ft) and he couldn't figure out what that clicking noise was.

Ruffed Grouse                                              Blue Jay

 Common Red Poll

Black-capped Chickadee

Backyard buck from down the road