[TN-Bird] Woodpecker world, and lots more!

From: Dthomp2669@xxxxxxx
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 24 May 2004 10:02:29 EDT
Greetings from the Charlotte Park area of West Nashville just a few blocks 
east of the old Cleece's Ferry landing and boat launching ramp.
As I walked out to refill the "Smorg-a-bird" this morning, I heard an 
unfamiliar tap-tapping on the dead ash tree to the south of my deck.  I looked 
around 
and found a hairy woodpecker just going crazy up there.  He'd tap furiously 
for a moment, the scratch and preen himself just as furiously for the next few 
moments.  He repeated this behavior several times before flying off in the 
direction of a "friend" who had called for him from a yard east of mine.

While the hairy was performing, one of the flickers was clee-yer-ing from the 
top of a favorite transformer on the utility pole on a corner of my back 
yard.  An answer was coming from over nearer the Cumberland River, and, moments 
later, a second flicker appeared atop the utility pole.  They put on quite a 
show chortling back and forth to show evidence of their enduring attachment to 
each other.  Gosh, I hope they are not considering the transformer as a nesting 
site again!  "Fried flicker" would not be a nice menu addition in MY back 
yard!

During all this woodpecker windfall, my little downy couple were "talking" 
from the middle of the back yard somewhere and making a few trips to the 
feeders 
for peanut butter and sunflower seed.  As they were doing SOME "take-out," 
there must be babies back there in one of those tree cavities.

Although the bossy mockingbirds have two fledglings at the feeder from their 
nest across the street, I think they either must have one left to feed (VERY 
late member of the same clutch?), or they have started sitting on another set 
of eggs.  That particular pair has always been VERY PRODUCTIVE starting a new 
nesting just as soon as the fledgelings from the previous nesting become 
self-sufficient.  While sitting, the adults feed each other when the peanut 
butter, 
jelly, apple, orange or other fruit goes on the feeder.  Two more clutches of 
baby mocks are being fed in other yards adjacent to mine.

A HUGE family of chickadees and several families of cardinals are visitors 
along with all those "kiddies" from three couples of house sparrows, loads of 
house finches, blue jays, mourning doves, etc.

My PAIR of field sparrows have returned and are carrying food off to 
I-don't-know-wheresville-to-my-west, AND, yesterday morning, a sweet little 
house wren 
perched on the chair right outside the French doors where it sang away for a 
few moments before hopping down to the deck floor, working its way along the 
deck edge, up to the water fountain to get a drink, then to the PEANUT BUTTER!  
Score another bird on the list of peanut butter eaters!  It figures, as 
"Cousin Carolina" has been gorging on PB here for years.

This morning has been topped off by a soaring sharp-shinned hawk surveying 
all my bird activity possibly in hopes of scoring a meal for himself!

Birding life is good, so cheers & prayers for more,

Dee Thompson
Nashville, TN


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[TN-Bird] Woodpecker world, and lots more!

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