Saturday, June 23, 2012

Saturday Snapshot: Peekaboo, Part Two



To see what other participants have posted, visit Saturday Snapshot's base, At Home With Books. You'll also find the easy rules and regulations there, just in case you want to join in the fun. (Of course you do!)


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Last week I told you about two of the visitors who showed up while Denis and I were staying outside Bisbee, Arizona, in Mule Mountain Cottage. If you love getting away from it all and doing a bit of communing with nature, it's the perfect place to stay. This weekend I thought I'd share more visitors with you: some Acorn Woodpeckers. Don't let anyone tell you that they don't have a sweet tooth! (Click on any photo to view it in a larger size.)


Sometimes I'd look up from my book to see one peering at me from around the trunk of the oak tree where the hummingbird feeder was.

Is she looking this way?



Sometimes I'd look up too quickly and only see something like this...


Ack! She saw me!

Other times I'd look up to see one trying to get the hang of the feeder...


Gotta get me some nectar!

By the time the end of our stay had arrived, they didn't seem to care at all that I was sitting there.


What's that black thing she's got on the front of her face?

40 comments:

  1. Lovely photos, I find it so hard to capture birds in a photo, they seem to be extra aware of someone looking at them.

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    1. Sometimes I think it's got everything to do with a quality of stillness. If you can project enough of that, they'll be aware of you, but less likely to bolt at your tiniest movement.

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  2. Wow, you've gotten some amazing shots of those birds there. I wish we had more interesting birds around where we live for me to try to take pictures...

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    1. Some of the best photos I've taken are of House Sparrows, plus there's always a lot of the little buggers, so you have plenty of opportunities to practice. :-)

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  3. They look like quite the characters!

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  4. What a beautiful bird - are they related to British woodpeckers? My Snapshot is here http://goo.gl/ou72V

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    1. Like Cath says in the next comment, they certainly look like the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the UK.

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  5. I love these photos, Cathy! This woodpecker slightly resembles our (UK) lesser spotted woodpecker. At least I think it does.

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    1. I looked up the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and you're right-- there is a resemblance.

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  6. I never seem to find interesting birds in the city; they seem to keep themselves scarce. When I lived in the foothills, I saw some hawks.

    Thanks for sharing...and here's MY SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST

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    1. I live in the middle of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US, and I've had all kinds of birds show up on my doorstep.

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  7. We had one of these woodpeckers hanging around a couple of summers ago and he put quite the hole in our garage!!

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    1. We have Gila Woodpeckers where we live, Jackie, and we had a problem with them trying to drill their own apartment into the side of our house. When we hung a windspinner close by, the woodpeckers decided that our house wasn't such a prime location after all.

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  8. Cathy - Oh, those are remarkable! Thank you for sharing! I wish I could say something more intelligent about it but not having a photography background I can only say that I love the composition and the energy you capture in those 'photos is remarkable.

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    1. Who needs a photography background? Thank you for those kind words, Margot!

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  9. Nice shots, Cathy. I am always on the lookout for colorful birds at the backyard feeders. Don't you just love the red on the woodpecker's head!

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    1. Thanks, Harvee! Every feather on those woodpeckers just gleamed in the light. I have a feeling that they're very proud of their plumage. :-)

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  10. How wonderful that you were able to capture these birds. I love the one with him/her? hanging off the feeder! Priceless.

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    1. The Gila Woodpeckers here used to hang off the hummingbird feeders all the time-- annoying the hummingbirds no end-- until we started putting out oranges. They then shifted their allegiance to citrus.

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  11. Maybe he thinks it's an acorn feeder! I have yet to see a woodpecker on my hummingbird feeder, but that doesn't mean it won't happen.

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    1. Don't be surprised if it happens. The Gila Woodpeckers who live in my Phoenix neighborhood loved our hummingbird feeders until we started putting out oranges.

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  12. Ha! Those are funny! Birds are right up there with the moon in terms of getting good shots but yours are great!

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  13. These are lovely shots. I recently bought a humming bird feeder like this and it's been ignored. Don't think they like my nectar. Do you make your own with sugar and water?

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    1. Denis is in charge of making the nectar with baker's sugar and water. All our hummers (and the ones down in Bisbee) love it.

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  14. How funny! I haven't sat and watched a hummingbird feeder in years, but when I have in the past I've never seen anything but hummingbirds visit.

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    1. I have all sorts of birds drawn to our hummingbird feeders. It may have something to do with our climate, though. You never know.

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  15. ha! the first two photos made me laugh!! Love watching the birds! :)

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    1. Yes, it took them a while to get used to the strange human sitting in the shade! LOL

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  16. These are amazing pictures! Two woodpeckers no less AND trying to steal the hummingbird nectar. Hilarious!

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  17. What a great series of photos! I never cared much for birds in the past but the last few years we've had a hummingbird feeder on our porch and it's so fun to watch them eat! I love that you had woodpeckers visit yours!

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    1. I've had all sorts of birds attracted to my hummingbird feeders. Our feathered friends are very adaptable, and as many of them seem to have a sweet tooth as humans!

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  18. How wonderful! I love your shots. I've never seen a woodpecker, but would love to.

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  19. I love that splotch of red on his head--very striking!

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    1. That red patch glows in the light, Cheryl!

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