We have a small opening in the door leading to our screened porch, allowing easy access for Indy. Of course this also allows a multitude of other critters to visit.
On Sunday I saw what looked at first glance to be a pigeon on the porch. However, when I went out to open the door and initiate a rescue mission, I discovered the pigeon was actually a woodpecker. I looked it up and identified the bird to be a Northern Flicker, one of Missouri's seven species of native woodpeckers.
I chased the flicker around the porch where it flapped and fluttered around until the open door finally served as an exit.
Later, my husband informed me that flickers can be quite aggressive, claiming that one of them pecked him pretty hard several years ago. Probably best I didn't know this before I went on my rescue mission. (Note the long and powerful beak--ouch!!) But all's well that ends well.
Oh and one final reminder. There's still time to enter the caption contest. Winner will be chosen mid-week, so good luck to all!
9 comments:
Bummer, you figured it out. I was going to suggest you name the bird "Twinkie" What? It's a lovely name for a Flicker
Twink!
Next time try going at him with a spray bottle full of water. Hopefully it will shoo him out without you getting pecked!
Beautiful bird, but nothing's worse than having one of those Woody The Woodpecker's going at it on top of the chimney cap! Sounds like a jack hammer and used to scare the patooties out of my son, Mark, when he was a baby!
Eek, that bird sounds scary, better take cover if you see it flying towards you!
Lynne
oh neat--i love reading and seeing pictures about native birds!
I don't think I've ever seen one - I thought it was a Dove that hung around a nuclear power plant a little too long!
I've been around flickers, and they seem to be very bold birds! I think that you should name it "Feathered Flicka".
Cool! I've never seen one that close up before. Sounds like that could be a good thing!
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