They love suet feeders. . . . . . . .

I was surprised by this Northern Flicker - perhaps the younger of these two 

guys I viewed a couple of weeks ago HERE.

He waited on the suet feeder in this position for a very long time on Saturday,

 10 minutes or more, only leaving when I eventually opened the back door in hopes

 I could get better photos than these taken through the steamy windows.

Boy was it ever hot out there and the humidity awful!  Maybe he was just resting

in the heat, can't say I blamed him, it was like being in the jungle without the 

screeching monkeys.

Notice how some dastardly night visitor - raccoon perhaps - has already chewed

 up my NEW suet feeder, grrrrrrr!  The woodpeckers love these feeders as they can

balance their weight and size on the tail 'fin'. Other birds come too. . . . . . . many

 love suet and require fat in their diet for energy even in summertime. If you feed

garden birds you should do it year round.

Such a handsome bird. 

I hope your parents showed up and they took you away to a

 cooler spot for the evening hours.

Such a handsome bird. . . . . . . . . .

Yesterday I was out early morning hanging a new suet feeder to replace the one

 gnawed by the dastardly squirrels.  

Back in the house I turned around to look out the window and noticed this handsome

 male Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus - already feeding!

Easy to recognize the sex of this woodpecker - the male has a black mustache.

Grabbed the camera. . . . . . . . .of course. . . . . . . . .and by then it had flown from

 the feeder and was scuffling about in the leaves at the back of the garden.

When I looked through the viewfinder I realized there was a second Flicker on 

the ground, thought it was its mate, however then realized it was a much smaller

 bird and definitely another male with a mustache.  Papa, with suet in his beak,

 was feeding his son!

The young bird didn't seem too sturdy on its legs, not unexpected if it hasn't

 been out of the nest for long. Both parents do incubate and feed their young

 who fledge from the nest (usually in a cavity in a tree) when about one month old.

Guess this dad was living up to his parental responsibilities. 

They were there for several minutes and then flew off together.

5-8 eggs are usually laid - perhaps mom was busy with the rest of her brood.

In flight the Flicker flashes golden yellow under wings and tail, undulating deeply

 while giving a loud "wacka-wacka" call. It is a non-migrator in the Carolinas so we

 are able to enjoy this very attractive large bird all year round.

. . . . . . .and you enjoying the sunshine in that pretty fur coat - don't get any

 ideas - you had best stay down there on the ground away from my new

 suet feeder - I see you eyeing it already!

Learning to share in bird land . . . . . . .

The beautiful Northern Flickers are still around and I was thrilled to get this shot of 

one with an Eastern Bluebird perched close by.

Later there was a bit of a skirmish at the suet feeder on the fig tree when the 
European Starling returned after a long absence, pushing and shoving the Flicker off. . . . . 

. . . . . but he waited whilst the Starling nibbled for a couple of minutes.

Waiting patiently for his turn - displaying his lovely golden yellow tail and 
under wing feathers, and the speckled pattern on his breast.

Above - Mrs. Northern Flicker

Here the pair are hanging out together, male on the suet, female 
close by - the only time I've actually seen them both together around the feeders.
I didn't even know she was there until I loaded the pic on the laptop!

If you're wondering about the rust colored leaves in March - we have a small oak 
tree which hasn't shed its leaves yet, and a still-with-leaves maple behind the fig. Once 
the new buds are formed they will both drop their leaves and we'll be raking again, but 
hopefully under a spring green canopy.