Feathered friends abound

Very young Downy Woodpecker venturing out for the first time.

The noises coming out of the hole in the tree are enough to make a mom freak out. You would think that the mother Downy Woodpecker would do something to keep her babies quiet. These little guys are loud and are constantly chirping.

I watched a few weeks ago, as a Downy Woodpecker chose the dying twin trunk of a tree in our yard that I to this day, still do not know of which it is called. I see this trunk every day, while buttoning my shirt before heading for my first very large cup of java. It pecked away, day after day. I saw it a few times and then forgot about it. Several days ago I was walking through the yard under the tree and I could hear the babies chirping away. I then watched either mom or dad Downy Woodpecker come to the hole and dip their heard in, and fly away.

This morning I saw this little guy, first one out, clinging to our newly planted Japanese Maple next to the shed. He didn't move, just blinked. I ran and got my camera and he still didn't move. Later in the day I saw him closer to the nest hole, right above it in fact. His siblings still not ready to leave. My wife speculates that he was the first one near the nest hole and was probably fed the most frequently, and I concur.

This got me thinking of all the bird species I have seen in our yard since moving in. I know they have increased quite a bit, having given them a habitat in which to thrive, birdbaths, low shelter, tall trees, flowers and plants for them to eat and in which to take refuge. Here is my very hastily prepared list, in no particular order:

Red-Tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Mourning Dove
Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Red-Headed Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Common Flicker
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
downy Woodpecker
Tree Swallow
American Crow
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-Breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Brown Thrasher
Grey Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Red-Winged Blackbird
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
European Starling
House Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Rufous-Sided Towhee
Northern Junco

Whew. I do hope to see more!