Subdeacon Joe Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I've been trying for over a year to get a video of one on the feeder. FINALLY got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irish Pat Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I had never heard of a woodpecker feeder how does it work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I get those type all the time here,Joe. i also get a somewhat bigger one with a tan breast and really striking red head on it. book I have calls it a Red-bellied, which i don't think is a good name as it doesn't have a red belly. i call the ones you have on the video a hairy or downy which is a small one, the red bellied is a medium size, the largest is the red headed. i put out suet cakes in basket type feeders to attract them. they also will use the conventional type feeders with seed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I had a pileated that used to drop by a few times a year until more houses got built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 35 minutes ago, Irish-Pat said: I had never heard of a woodpecker feeder how does it work It's just an inexpensive hanging feeder that you put the cylinders of seed on. I did rig up more perches for birds out of a metal ring and some sticks. It wasn't put out specifically for woodpeckers, they just decided to start using it. 11 minutes ago, Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 said: I get those type all the time here,Joe. i also get a somewhat bigger one with a tan breast and really striking red head on it. book I have calls it a Red-bellied, which i don't think is a good name as it doesn't have a red belly. i call the ones you have on the video a hairy or downy which is a small one, the red bellied is a medium size, the largest is the red headed. i put out suet cakes in basket type feeders to attract them. they also will use the conventional type feeders with seed We have Downey, Nuttalls, Hairy,and Acorn that visit our feeders - we have another feeder like this one, two for suet, and two cages for the cakes. We don't use the loose seed because too much ends up on the ground and ends up attracting rats, skunks, raccoons, and the like. I am going to try making my own cylinders, though. There is a lot of information online about how to do it. That should cut the cost by at least 50%. My wife and I really enjoy watching the antics of the chickadees, finches of various types, wrens, swallows, jays , woodpeckers, nuthatches, juncos, towhees, and lord knows what else feeding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailrider #896 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 What's the other one on the feeder? Looks like it might be "Woody's" cousin, a flicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 27 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said: What's the other one on the feeder? Looks like it might be "Woody's" cousin, a flicker. I think it is a female goldfinch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Crimes Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I thought it was going to be one of these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 In all the places I have lived we have never had a woodpecker eat from our feeders. At least not to my knowledge. That’s really cool, Joe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 We get a half dozen types almost daily. I need to replace my BB gun to thin out our sparrows and starlings. They gang up and own the feeders. Love seeing the pileated up north. They open up a dead tree in an impressive way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 45 minutes ago, Michigan Slim said: Love seeing the pileated up north. They open up a dead tree in an impressive way! They will tear off a hubcap sized chunk from a live tree and come back every few months to harvest the ants, of course the tree will eventually die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 The Downeys and Hairies will take seed from the feeder and stuff it into cracks and holes in the bark of nearby trees for consumption later. Their way of storing food! And yeah! I always thought the Red Bellies were misnamed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 We have downey, hairy, red bellied, yellow bellied sapsucker, flickers, red head and occasionally pileated. We can put out a fresh cake of suet and have woodpeckers on it before we can get set down. The downeys have learned to eat out of the hummingbird feeder. The house finch and goldfinch have learned by observation and they too will stop for a quick drink at the hummer feeders. Excitment comes with the frequent visits by the sharp shinned hawks. They will pick a slow or confused goldfinch right out of the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 14 minutes ago, Noz said: We have downey, hairy, red bellied, yellow bellied sapsucker, flickers, red head and occasionally pileated. We can put out a fresh cake of suet and have woodpeckers on it before we can get set down. The downeys have learned to eat out of the hummingbird feeder. The house finch and goldfinch have learned by observation and they too will stop for a quick drink at the hummer feeders. Excitment comes with the frequent visits by the sharp shinned hawks. They will pick a slow or confused goldfinch right out of the air. Sounds like our yard. My daughter used to sit on the deck doing homework. She started wearing safety glasses because the hummingbirds would get so close to her or zip through at warp speed past her. She eventually had a squirrel that would sit on her leg and eat peanuts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 The color's a little washed out on the video,Joe, but I believe you're right about a female goldfinch. although during the winter months, the males go drab as well. i used to get buzzed by hummers taking my dogs out. Had a few that would viff around in front of my glasses trying to intimidate the bird they saw in the reflection of my glasses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michigan Slim Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 My wife has had them caught in her hair twice. They didn't like HER in THEIR flower patch and got a mite uppity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Checotah Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I have seen 5 types of woodpeckers at my house. Downy, Hairy, Red bellied, Flicker and Pileated. At one time or another I have seen all but the Flicker on my feeder. Most of the time it is the Downy or Hairy. Less frequently the Red bellied. Rare the Pileated. I like to keep up the feeders but it is getting close to bear time and they also have been known to get at the feeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdeacon Joe Posted March 30, 2019 Author Share Posted March 30, 2019 8 hours ago, Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 said: The color's a little washed out on the video, ... although during the winter months, the males go drab as well. Camera on my cell phone, no protective glass cover over the lens (I cracked it somehow), so a slightly dirty lens and the window needs to be cleaned. The males around here are a quite vivid yellow, both the regular goldfinches and the lesser goldfinches. This video is from December. Likewise the house finches are a bright red, and the purple finches are also bright. Back to woodpeckers, there are 6 or 7 species in Sonoma County and we have 3 or 4 of them visiting our feeders. Upside_Down.mp4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Four-Eyed Buck,SASS #14795 Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Unfortunately, the raccoons have begun hitting my feeders again. had to stop putting it out to try and discourage them from hanging around I've trapped five of them in the last week and relocated them to another part of the park Have another in the area i'm trying to get yet. this one is pretty smart, did a nice trick the other day. got the lid off my round can, got into it, opened a take home container and got the contents not tearing it up, and then got itself out of the can. didn't discover the stuff gone until yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Kris Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Very cool, Joe!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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