Downy Woodpecker

   "...once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”

― Germany Kent

Downy Woodpecker in Autumn

 Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go. 

~ Natalie Goldberg

Downy Woodpecker in Autumn

 “I’m thankful for every moment.” 

– Al Green 

 

Print Available - HERE

Male Downy Woodpecker On the Feeder Wreath

"To have joy, one must share it." 

— Lord Byron

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Wild Birds - Downy Woodpecker

“Be kind whenever possible. 

It is always possible.” 

― Dalai Lama XIV

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Female Downy Woodpecker

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. 

They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness -- just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breath it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm.

 — Laura Ingalls Wilder

Another Almost

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm. 

 - Charles M. Schwab

Downy Woodpecker on a flight path to the suet feeder.  

Another one of my "almost" got a good shot of him in flight.

I'll keep trying! 

More of my Birds in Flight - HERE 

Similar but Different

Both of these are birds (of course), both are females and both are woodpeckers.   The one of the left is a Downy Woodpecker and on the right is a Red-bellied Woodpecker - 

and they both LOVE the Suet on Snowy days!

Share our similarities, celebrate our differences. 

~ M. Scott Peck

 

Downy Woodpecker Wings

It is not where we are going or where we have been.

Sometimes the beauty 

is in that very moment....   

the spreading of our wings.

A Spot of Red On His Head

Male Downy Woodpecker at the Suet Feeder

The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. 

The great opportunity is where you are.

 ― John Burroughs

Downy Woodpecker In The Forest

Every object, every being, is a jar full of delight.

 ~ Rumi

Print Available - HERE 

Snow Birds and Snow Blossoms

Downy and Red-bellied Woodpecker Sharing Nicely

Mrs Red looking pretty as the snow falls 

 

Snow on the Maple Blossoms

All of these were taken during one of our Spring Snows  

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.

 ~ Doug Larson 

Accept Yourself

Accept yourself, your strengths, your weaknesses, your truths, and know what tools you have to fulfill your purpose.

― Steve Maraboli

FemaleDowny Woodpecker using her tail to balance on the feeder.

The Smile Is The Beginning Of Love

Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.

~  Mother Teresa

Print Available - HERE 

There Are No Shortcuts

I am fascinated with the "motion" of birds and I take a LOT of pictures trying to capture them in motion. I have often thought of doing a "bloopers" post to show the zillions of pics I have with maybe one wing in the frame, or just the tail feathers. Most of the time I end up with nothing at all as they've left the frame before I can even get a shot off. It has been VERY hard for me to capture the entire bird in the frame. This is NOT a great picture - BUT - I caught the entire Downy Woodpecker in the shot :) I have posted before of a Red-bellied Woodpecker In Motion - Here and a Female Cardinal in Motion - Here. So I will keep trying to capture the birds in motion - and someday in focus too :)

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. ~Beverly Sills

Feasting at the Suet

A good memory is one that can remember the day's blessings and forget the day's troubles 
~ Unknown

One of my many blessings are the birds that visit my feeders. This is a Male Downy Woodpecker. He has such a vibrant spot of Red on his head!

Mama Downy Woodpecker

I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is.
― Alan Wilson Watts 

Mama Downy hanging out at the bird feeder wreath.

A Little bit Messy

 
.. to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life.  
 — John Burroughs

It was quite thrilling for me to get so close to this little Downy Woodpecker who is a frequent visitor to our deck. I slowly approached and he didn't seem to be bothered by me at all and continued pecking on the seed bar. As you can see, he was a bit of a messy eater and has seed all over his beak. If you look closely you can see just a bit of his tongue sticking out too. And I LOVE that little out of place feather on top of his head.

Another Red Head

Birds fascinate me! This little guy - a downy woodpecker - just pecked away at the suet and wasn't bothered by me at all.

After I downloaded the shot I saw that I got him with his tongue sticking out. How neat is that? 

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Downy Woodpecker

Mrs. Downy Woodpecker posing for me.

"When I was young, I admired clever people. 

Now that I am old, I admire kind people." 

~ Abraham Joshua Heschel