11/23/2009

Woodpeckers at the Sudbury River

downy woodpecker 1
Saturday I went to the Tennis club on Edgell Road around 9:00 AM. There was NO ONE THERE! That has never happened before - even at dawn! I snapped a picture of a Downy Woodpecker who seems VERY INTENT on his work based on his facial expression!

downy woodpecker 2
How do you like the look on his face? In a human it might be interpreted as anger. Frustration? Annoyance? Or just intensity?

downy woodpecker 3
This is a female Downy Woodpecker. Females lack the red patch at the nape.

downy woodpecker 4
Males have a red nape patch. Male Hairy Woodpeckers also have the red nape, but they are larger and have bigger bills.

red-bellied woodpecker sudbury river
I also saw Red-bellied Woodpeckers on the river bank. I believed this was a female Red-bellied woodpecker, based on the lack of red on the forehead.

red-bellied woodpecker sudbury river2
This is a bad photo, but the lack of a red forehead is much more noticeable here. Definitely a female.

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