New Birds - Woodpecker and a Grosbeak!

Just when I was starting to think I had written about all the birds that were ever going to show up in my backyard, two new ones show up today!

I was scrubbing the kitchen sink this afternoon watching The Big Guy digging up chunks of concrete left over from various long forgotten construction projects when a male Black-Headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) landed on my birdfeeder pole. I don't remember ever seeing this bird in our yard before.

Here's one of Bob Steele's fantastic photos of this bird.

Unfortunately, the Steller's Jays finished up all the bird seed earlier this morning and a Downy Wookpecker had reduced the suet to a tiny 1-inch chunk and then I had not gotten around to replenishing the supplies so there was nothing left that the Grosbeak was interested in. It fly away after a minute of looking around.

Then this evening just before we sat down to supper, a Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) landed on the birdfeeder pole. This enormous woodpecker might even be a relative of the one that chiseled large chunks of wood out of our back step railings several years ago.

This picture which I snagged from this website gives you an idea how big this woodpecker is. It's at least as big as a crow, maybe even longer when you consider the tail. That beak looks like it could pound holes through steel!

I had still not gotten around to refilling the feeders so no joy for the woodpecker either. There wasn't even a tiny bit of suet left anymore.

I did refill the feeders after supper. Maybe our new neighbours will come back tomorrow.