Beautiful Juvenile Flicker

   My job is changing. My duties are evolving. I am spending more time in my office, at my desk. I saw a beautiful juvenile "Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker" (Colaptes auratus) dipping into the fresh water of our birdbath. I did not have a camera, but this photo is a good representation of what I saw.

Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker

   The "yellow-shafted" version of the Northern Flicker found in the eastern United States has feathers with yellow shafts. It also has a black molar patch on its cheek. The "red shafted" version found in the western U.S. has a red patch. I got a real long close-up view of this beautiful woodpecker. It made my day.

Robert

photo courtesy of epeterson