Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

 

I am enjoying watching the Cardinals and Woodpeckers feed from the suet feeder in my backyard. 

Interesting facts:

• Red-bellied Woodpeckers are attracted to noises that resonate. The male will tap loudly on metal gutters, aluminum roofs and even vehicles to attract a mate.
• The European Starling will often evict the Red-bellied Woodpecker from its nest.
• The male has a wider tongue tip and longer bill than the female, allowing him to reach deeper into crevices to find prey. Studies have shown the male forages on the tree trunk, while the female forages mostly on limbs.
• A group of woodpeckers has many collective nouns, including a "descent", "drumming", and "gatling" of woodpeckers.

Cardinals

 

I am enjoying watching these beautiful Cardinals.

Interesting Facts:

• The Northern Cardinal can live up to 15 years in the wild.
• It is the state bird of seven states-Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. No other bird holds this distinction.
• Males that have a brighter red color appear to feed at higher rates and have greater reproductive success than males that are duller in color.
• A group of cardinals has many collective nouns, including a "college", "conclave", "deck", "radiance", and "Vatican" of cardinals.

            

                        
“Only one person in a thousand knows the trick of really living in the present.”

~Storm Jackson