Winter Woodpeckers

With the onset of colder weather and more snowfall, our yard becomes host to a number of different species of Woodpecker during the winter months.
The following photos were shot hand-held through my kitchen window. I wish the light had been better for these photos, but it seems the sun has barely been out for days.
The unsalted-unsweetened peanut butter is still proving to be a big hit for the third year in a row :

Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker - This male has been coming every day for the past couple of weeks and usually heads straight for the heated birdbath. Recently though he is spending more time eating peanut butter, to get through those colder nights.





Red-shafted/Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker Hybrid

Compare to the Yellow shafted : Note the orange/red on the underside of the wings and on the tail feathers, and only the faintest of red on the nape, where the male yellow has the black 'moustache', red nape patch and yellow on the wings and tail.
This female hybrid yellow x red shaft only seems to show up when the weather is really bad, or after a particularly big snowfall.
I was happy to see her back early this morning at the peanut butter tree.




Hairy Woodpecker :

The male Hairy Woodpecker still comes to the yard every other day.



Downy Woodpecker:

This female is one of a pair of Downies that also visits every day. I've noticed this species eating sunflower seeds quite often this season.