Amazing, 2023

In the early morning, while doing several different sets of qi gong, I stand inside of the dining room's double doors. These doors open out onto my back patio and yard. During my practice I am often blessed to see the local woodpecker pecking away at its Woodpecker cylinder. 

While living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I shopped at the "local" Wild Birds Unlimited. All of the bird food used to feed the wide array of birds was purchased here. The owners, at the time, were two extremely knowledgeable women. They had speakers share pertinent information for the season at hand, a chalkboard listing sightings in and near the city and were available to answer any and all questions. BEing new to the area I always had numerous questions. Where we lived the elevation was near 8,000'. It was on a flyway regularly use by a vast number of migrating birds. Twelve different woodpeckers visited our backyard. Since I was the human that replenished their food, I noted that they greedily demolished two or three Woodpecker Cylinders each week.

This "ultimate bird feeding station" was
purchased from Wild Birds Unlimited in 
Santa Fe.
It was reboxed and move to its
present location in my backyard.

The singular species of woodpecker that frequents the Woodpecker cylinder in my Cotati backyard is the Downy woodpecker. This particular woodpecker is seen throughout much of the United States as well as much of Canada. 

I receive an online version of Bird Watching magazine. Recently they posted an article about woodpeckers and forest management after wild fires. Wild fires seem to be happening more and more throughout the entire western United States. Perhaps you would like to see how Black-backed woodpeckers are impacting forest management post fire?

Throughout the day I check out the Advanced Pole System (APS) for a bush tailed rodent (aka squirrel) scarfing all the black oil sunflower seeds from the tray. Noting its coloration it is probably an Eastern Fox Squirrel. If a squirrel is in the tray munching away at food intended for the birds, Shasta runs out the door to chase the squirrel away. With each "close call" I sincerely hope she does not actually catch a squirrel! As I observe the shinanigans I have a hardy belly