This week I went to Scudder Pond a couple of times. The first time I just took my binoculars because of the eye troubles. I didn't want to get a headache from trying to do too much focus change by using my camera. This was the second time in a row I left the camera behind and once again, I had some birds do amazing stuff right in front of me.
Let me explain. Once the trail gets past the pond and into the area between the pond and Whatcom Falls, there's a trail that heads down to the water to the left. Right at the intersection of these 2 trails there's a dead tree trunk. As I walked past it on Tuesday morning, a Downy Woodpecker flew in and entered a big hole at the top of the snag. I stopped because downys are always cute and there might be fledglings. While I was waiting and watching, the other Downy flew in. They were both being very active so it took me quite a while to be sure they were Downys rather than Hairys and the whole time I'm standing there watching, I'm thinking I should have brought my camera.
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Picture from my yard
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So I went back, on my birthday, with the camera, all ready to get some fabulous shots. Not only was the place swarming with mosquitos, but nary a woodpecker to be seen on that snag. So you'll have to be satisfied with a backyard shot of the Downy woodpecker to show you how small and cute they are. But the camera is back on the regular birding kit list and I'll be checking again in the next couple of weeks to see what happens at the Downy home.
