tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5068198388134099737.post5831359321070569495..comments2024-03-26T10:41:16.229-06:00Comments on Birding Is Fun!: Where do the Woodpeckers go?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11333731452974780237noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5068198388134099737.post-21666452910938229412011-08-30T00:00:04.726-06:002011-08-30T00:00:04.726-06:00Robert, I agree with Larry's theory. I was goi...Robert, I agree with Larry's theory. I was going to suggest the same ting. I saw NOFL in the spring when they first came throuh, then didn't see them again for awhile, then suddenly they showed up with young and I am seeing them on a regular basis now. As for the downies and hairys it has been pretty much the same. I never have as many hairys as downies and was but the downies have been regular all summer. I have noticed the increase in population of downies over the past month as they have brought their young to the feeders. I have seen up to 5 birds at one time on the suet! Parents were feeding the young but now the young are coming by themselves so I see them in scattered groups of 2 or 3 or singles. Good Question though. Interesting to ponder.Kathie Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10377224759599266209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5068198388134099737.post-18602152910785568492011-08-27T13:17:51.918-06:002011-08-27T13:17:51.918-06:00I think we see fewer woodpeckers in the middle of ...I think we see fewer woodpeckers in the middle of the summer because they are nesting. Since woodpeckers are cavity nesters and nest mainly May through July, I hypothesize that they spend more time near their nest sites gathering insects to feed their young and don't frequent backyard feeders for that reason. There is typically at least a month of laying, incubating and then feeding young in the nest.<br /><br />Northern Flickers incubate for almost two weeks, then it's nearly another four weeks before the chicks fledge. During most of this time at least one parent is in the nest incubating the eggs or brooding the young for at least the first week after hatching. That would mean that we would only see half the Flicker population during those two to three weeks.<br /><br />According to Birds of North America Online, "In California, numbers increase in fall and winter as migrants arrive from the north; California breeders also move from higher to lower elevations during the winter." I think this is the main reason I see far more Northern Flickers in the spring, fall and winter than I do in summer.<br /><br />Here is a <a href="http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/htm03/ra2003_red/ra04130.htm" rel="nofollow">summer distribution map of the Red-shafted Flicker</a> we have in the west and one for the <a href="http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/htm03/ra2003_red/ra04120.htm" rel="nofollow">Yellow-shafted eastern variety</a>. You can see that they seem to be most dense in areas of open woodlands.Larryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09072345959644694466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5068198388134099737.post-73656911199222189402011-08-27T12:03:32.301-06:002011-08-27T12:03:32.301-06:00I have a hairy woodpecker, like your downy woodpec...I have a hairy woodpecker, like your downy woodpecker, that has visited our place. That's what my bird book calls him. He loves our suet feeder, when I put it out. Don't do it much any more since the European starlings decide to come in and eat all of it in one day. I hate that! We also have flickers and they are around. I'm visiting from Steve Creek's blog!Grandmabeckyl.blogspothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04362600588981799211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5068198388134099737.post-18784821174564130042011-08-27T06:18:58.093-06:002011-08-27T06:18:58.093-06:00I noticed the lack of woodpecker observations too,...I noticed the lack of woodpecker observations too, in the summer months in Idaho, when I made my woodpecker posts in July (http://annafasoli.blogspot.com/2011/07/woodpeckers-of-idaho-part-2.html). I attributed it to less people birding in these months, but that may be incorrect. Maybe they are seeking better natural food sources for their young, so we don't see them as often in easy-to-see places like bird feeders?Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00683347014107203194noreply@blogger.com