This Red-bellied Woodpecker is going to show us his pecking technique.
When you find a big hole like this one, you have to feel all around it with your bill.
Make sure you run your beak all the way around the inner edge so that nothing can stick to the inner lip of the hole.
Then grab hold and PULL! (In addition to grubs and worms, Red-bellied woodpeckers collect nuts and berries, and often hide nuts in tree cavities to eat when food becomes scarce. That is definitely a nut; I don't think grubs are so large!)
Now, doesn't he look the cat that swallowed the canary!
Nice series, Susan. When trying to photograph red-bellied woodpeckers I usually find that they are too shy to hold still for anything. As soon as they spot even the tiniest of movements, they are off.
ReplyDeleteHilke, I can't believe they put up with me following them around and taking pictures with a FLASH going off. (It is not the best way to cope with early morning shadows, but I was fed up after a few dozen failed shots!)
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