Easter weekend, with birds and sunset

In the backyard chez the parents, a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius. If I may quote from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website:

"Although most non-birders believe that the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a fictitious bird created just for the humorous name, in fact it is a widespread species of small woodpecker. "


Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap any pictures as it was a long way off and isn't very big to begin with. However, I did get a couple of shots of another visitor, a Northern (Yellow-Shafted) Flicker, Colaptes auratus. Through the trickery of modern digital photography, I've blown it up for you... still a bit fuzzy though. It was also a fair way away. Hm, that seems to be a common refrain whenever I post bird pics. Anyway, here it is, feasting on grubs and things in the grass. It's also a woodpecker. Really.




Neither species is uncommon, but nonetheless we seldom see them, even in the slightly more spacious, 60's era suburbia in which I grew up. Not to mention the rape-and-pillage, raze-the-trees-to-the-ground, late 90's development where I now live.

Speaking of which, the goldfinches at our place are still yellowing up in readiness for summer. I'll see if I can snap a few pictures, next time they're in a cooperative mood. In the meantime, I'll leave you with another sunset shot from the in-laws' place, which is conveniently located in the same town as the out-laws: