Backyard birding this morning

Downy on tree

Downy Woodpecker climbs the dogwood tree

Polka dots

Never really noticed the polka dots on a Downy Woodpecker. Have you?

The Great Backyard Bird Count begins

Today was the first day of the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. This will be the third year that I've participated in the count.

The first bird in my count was this Downy Woodpecker. Turns out it was the last bird I saw as well.

Other birds counted included the Carolina Wren, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, European Starling, Field Sparrow, House Finch, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Song Sparrow, Tufted Titmouse, and the Turkey Vulture.

Downy Woodpecker returns

Hungry Downy Woodpecker

I must have walked outside to throw some stale bread out for the birds just as this Downy was getting ready to fly down to the feeder. It let me know I was interrupting its afternoon snack.

Downy Woodpecker

Scraping the feeder

I've stopped feeding my birds for a couple of weeks in hopes that the Blackbirds and Starlings will find somewhere else to eat. This Downy Woodpecker visited several times over the weekend scraping the sides of the suet feeder.

Downy Woodpecker

Is it my turn yet?

This woodpecker looked like it was peeking over the fence to see who was at the suet feeder when I snapped this photo

Downy Woodpecker

This Downy Woodpecker, along with several other birds, visited my feeding station at the same time as the White-breasted Nuthatch I posted yesterday. I was in bird heaven.

Downy Woodpecker

Looked out the window yesterday and saw this fellow so I snuck around the side of the house. He actually let me stand in front of the crepe myrtle and take this picture.

Downy woodpecker

As far as I can tell, this is a Downy Woodpecker. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. We caught him enjoying the suet outside our front window one morning last year.