Downy Woodpecker

Small ladder-backed woodpeckers have been with us all winter. I've counted as many as five Downy Woodpeckers and three Hairy Woodpeckers in the trees behind the feeders or along the side of the powerline right of way at one time. It can get pretty contentious at the one suet feeder I've got hanging out there!

While snapping photos of the Goldfinch, a couple of Downy WPs came calling. This male (note the red on the back of the head) was intent upon getting to the suet and didn't give a fig that I was standing on the deck 5 yards away.

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

These little woodpeckers are actually quite tame. You can coax them to eat out of your hand, if you care to give it a try. I've had them come to the suet while I'm standing there refilling on of the seed feeders just a couple of feet away.

While they chase one another around the trees behind the feeders and sound pretty mean doing it, once their larger cousin, the Hairy shows up it's time for all to flee. (The hairy looks exactly the same except it's half again as large: 9 inches versus 6 for the Downy.)