Morning Visitor

A Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Their name is something of a misnomer, since the faint reddish wash on the lower belly is rarely visible; red-naped woodpecker more fairly describes them. A finely barred black and white back is set off by fawn-colored underparts. In flight, a bright white rump and white wing patches are striking. Redbellies sound almost angry when they call, and have a lusty, harsh rattle call as well. Females are similar to males, but their foreheads are gray, not red.

Earlier in the summer, I saw them running up and down the rose tree, calling. He cracked me up this morning because he's all scrunched up trying to stay on the hummingbird feeder. And he stayed like that for about 10 minutes! I guess, being a woodpecker, they like to hang off of things, don't they.