Sunday, November 22, 2015

County Bonus Bird-A Red-headed Woodpecker!

The end of the year will soon be here so I continued my search for birds in Middlesex County. This healthy looking Fox Sparrow took a break from scratching through leaves to survey its surroundings.
It was so nice to get a closer look at a Red-throated Loon making it easier to see the features which differentiate them from Common Loons like the thinner upturned bill and head/facial markings.
 I teamed up with another birder who showed me some new birding locations in Middlesex County. While we were at one of these new locations a friendly local gave us a tip which helped us find a previously unreported  Red-headed Woodpecker (immature bird-only adults have the solid red head)This is only the 3rd one I've ever seen and a first for Middlesex County. 
That was an unexpected bonus and was surely the bird of the day!

5 comments:

jp@A Green Ridge said...

AWESOME catch, Larry...you are so fortunate...I have never seen a Redheaded. We have Downy, Hairy, Red Bellied and even Pileated out this way only. Congrats!...:)JP

Michelle said...

I have not see a red-headed woodpecker. What a great photo!

Linda said...

Gorgeous series, Larry! Beautiful birds!

Anu said...

Great photos of redheaded woodpecker! Congarts!
This bird not live here in Europe, so I think, I will never see it.
Anu

troutbirder said...

Very nice photos. Red heads have gone from come to occasional here in southeastern Minnesota for reasons nobody seems to know. Red bellies are just the opposite. Go figure....