Might be having new neighbors, a nice young couple

[UTUSN]

Disclosure: pic is from the web; mine are very shy and won't pose.



This couple has been both keeping their distance but hanging around, being wary but not staying away while I water.

There was already a very perfectly round hole/nest into a trunk of a leftover rotted chinaberry tree from years back. But now there is a NEW, perfect hole.

But years ago, I spied on a woodpecker dude (yes, it was a he), drilling away for a couple of weeks, ending up with what looked to me to be a PERFECTLY round entrance complete with a beveled edge. He was on his own throughout. Then, I was lucky enough to witness that he escorted what must have been the mate, bringing her to the very door of the perfect hole. He perched a short distance away while she grabbed close to the hole and peered inside and then entered for a bit. Then, she emerged and apparently the house inspection was a bust because they flew away and I never saw them again.

[sprinkleeninow]

1. We have these guys 'n' dolls eating at our feeder. They hang on the edge, grab goodies,

then scoot off.

I was making drrrr drilling sounds back to one yesterday out back. They really go at it!

I talk to birds, animals.... ☺

[UTUSN]

2. Yea, they really do go at it! Over the years I have been scarified by the pecking/drilling

out of nowhere at whatever time. Been dive bombed by mockingbirds when I didn't even know where their home was!1 And bluejays are downright MEAN - one harassed a squirrel on a branch that was over the walk, pecking until it fell right in front of me - like, the jay was waiting for me to do horrible things to the squirrel.

Plus, back when I had outside dogs, I didn't mind for the birds to come drink from the dogs' bowl, but then I found out that they also POOPED in the drinking water! I have deprived myself of having idyllic bird baths because of mosquitoes, but saw that there is some kind of pill/donut that kills off mosquito eggs.

I have a gutteral "language" with my dogs, who must be understanding what I'm saying because they turn their heads attentively!1

[sprinkleeninow]

3. My mom-in-law used to get terrorized by a Catbird when she

hung laundry outside or was taking it in. I witnessed it once and had to suppress laughing. She was mild mannered, but got sooo mad! 😊

[csziggy]

7. In the spring the male woodpeckers claim territory by their drumming

We used to have some metal boxed lights over our arena. The woodpeckers loved to drum on those since the sound reverberated for a long distance.

That is one reason they peck on the soffits of buildings - the hollow spaces echo and increase the sound level. Most other times of the year (aside from spring) they are pecking to get to the bugs under the bark or in rotten wood.

[Skittles]

4. THAT BIRD THINK HE IS ALL THAT

and......he is

[onethatcares]

5. we have two of them

or actually, we have two red headed woodpeckers that visit and eat the suet blocks, along with a cardinal couple, 8 blue jays, a bunch of sparrows/wrens/little birds I can't find in the book of birds, occasional robins, magpies and 8 or 9 squirrels at any given time.

We had a pileated woodpecker visit and bathe in the beginning of the season, but he's not been back. They are huge.

This is life in the city one block away from a busy thoroughfare.

[The Wizard]

6. looks like a red bellied (NT)