More Springtime

I can't help but share more Springtime photos from around our home.  It can be a very short season and I like to savor every moment.  

The Bridal Wreath Spirea is blooming so lovely this year.  I got this little shrub from my Mama years ago from my childhood home.  It means the world to me to see it blooming.  

The columbine continues to grow beautifully along with its other red companion.

These are the sweetest spring flowers that reseed themselves and enjoy their day in the sun/shade garden.

This female red bellied woodpecker is waiting her turn at the suet.  If you can feed the birds, you are in for a treat.  They will reward you with their antics and appearances near you.

The male goldfinch has been coming by for breakfast every morning.

We've been quite surprised to see the male pileated woodpecker this late in the season.  We usually see them in winter, but he is welcome to chow down at our suet anytime!  He really does consume an enormous amount of suet, though.

The Viburnum Snowball shrub is taller this year.  It's blooming so lovely this year!

My cousin reminded me that our Grandmother had these on either side of her front steps.   Her variety must have been different for I don't think she would have had twelve foot shrubs next to the steps.

Spring is so lovely this year in spite of the terrible storms we have experienced.  I am sitting on our patio writing this post and watching a male wren go in and out of a birdhouse on a side table.  He has been so attentive to his mate.  I dare not disturb this process and hope I will have some baby wrens to photograph!  While I was reading about their habits I learned that the male will build up to 12 nests and introduce them to his mate.  She will choose the one to her liking.  Now, if that isn't amazing, I don't know what is!  Happy Springtime! 

Pileated Woodpecker

 We enjoy watching the birds at our feeders.  We've had quite a variety of birds visit our suet and our bird feeding station this winter.  This morning, Grayden took the most marvelous photos of an elusive, shy bird--The Pileated Woodpecker (Drycopus pileatus)!  This is one bird that we have never seen at our suet feeder.

When we are out in our garden working or walking in our neighborhood we often hear the call of this large bird.  Call and drumming of Pileated Woodpecker  They  are quite hard to see.  Always going to the other side of the tree, they elude our viewing.  Once you've seen one, you wonder if he is a tropical bird.  His head is very small compared to his large body.  Winter is your best time to see one when the leaves are not on the trees and live within this area.

Range of pileated woodpecker

This woodpecker was declining while most of our heavily forested areas have been cleared.  He is making quite a comeback in a lot of areas where there are still large trees.

  

The majority of their diet is the eating of carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae.  They do enjoy fruit, nuts and seeds.  Suet is another treat that they enjoy as we have observed.  This is the first year we've had them visit our suet. 

I was also lucky to be able to take a few more photos as the Pileated Woodpecker returned this afternoon.  An adult is 16 - 19 inches long.  His wing span is 26 - 30 inches. The male has a red streak under his cheek.  We noticed he has a red streak along the jaw as opposed to no red streak on the female.

As we were about to sit down for dinner I spotted a pair at the feeder.  I quickly grabbed my camera and was able to capture a so so photo of the pair.  The blur is the window pane.  They can quickly eat a new suet in a couple of days.  I wonder if they are going to call their cousins and aunts and uncles to visit.

Have you ever seen a Pileated Woodpecker?  We've been quite excited to view them closer than ever.