Woodpecker & Goldfinch

Date: May 12, 2007
Time: 2:00-2:15 p.m.

Weather Report: Mostly Cloudy, 54°F, 43% Humidity, Winds: N @ 9 mph; feels like 54°F.

Location: The backyard of our home in the upstate New York City of Rochester, an aerial photo of which is to the left.

Bird Species/Markings/Features: 1 female Downey Woodepcker (Picoides pubescens) and 1 American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)

Sights/Sounds/Activities: While working in the backyard today, I was surprised to hear what sounded like a ballpean hammer banging against a piece of wood. Looking into the tree, I saw a bird I had not yet seen in our yard, but one that Anne had claimed to have observed last summer, the Downey Woodpecker.

Notes: Anne was vindicated and I was happy to finally see the heretofore mysterious Downey Woodpecker in our urban yard. I watched it for a few minutes and attempted to take some pictures, only one of which turned out half-way decent:


Far more common of late in our backyard is the American Goldfinch. Our Nyjer thistle feeder is often home to two or three Goldfinches stopping by for a meal: