Red-shafted Flickers | wordsfromanneli

December 30, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 36 Comments

Famished Flicker

Flicker is bigger than the little juncos and towhees. He takes advantage of his size to get his fill of suet.

It’s cold and rainy in the video clip. The towhee and junco try in vain to get a bite.

But all are vulnerable when the hawk moves in.

I’m trying my hand at writing cinquains (sin kanes). They have five lines with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables in each line respectively.

Be patient please. This is my first one ever.

Flicker

Hogging suet

Hungry but not sharing

Forgets about pecking order

And hawks.

October 14, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 27 Comments

Red-shafted flickers, part of the woodpecker family, have long beaks that are great for probing for insects and grubs. They will also eat fruit and seeds. Whatever is on the menu, their beaks come in handy.

Here is a mother flicker teaching junior all about poking holes in trees to find something to eat. As always, mother bird is looking out for danger every few seconds. You can’t let your guard down with hawks and owls around.

They are not picky about which restaurant they dine at. If they think there might be something good in the siding of that house, why not see if there’s an appetizer in there?

They don’t mind picking at seeds when the bugs are hard to find. This suet block was not in the shape of a duck when I first put it out there. We must have an artistic bunch of birds visiting here.

In this short video clip, you can see that flickers don’t mind checking out the ground for bugs either. Here is where that beak comes in really handy. The dirt is just flying. And again, the flicker checks for danger at the slightest movement. Right near the end of the clip, do you see what got its attention as it flew by? I can’t tell if it’s a tiny bird or an insect, but the flicker was aware of it and on alert before going back to its excavating.

I dug, dug, dug,

For a bug, bug, bug,

Sometimes I’d find a seed.

I pick, pick, pick,

And flick, flick, flick,

The dirt more than I need.

But yum, yum, yum,

I hum, hum, hum,

I followed up my hunch.

It’s fun, fun, fun,

Bugs run, run, run,

But thanks a bunch for lunch.

April 5, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 22 Comments

Northern Flicker

The northern red-shafted flicker is fairly common on Vancouver Island and I’m glad he is. He eats a lot of ants and beetles and even wasps. That suits me just fine.

Here is Mr. Flicker (notice his red cheek slash) trying to get the attention of Ms. Flicker to ask her for a date.

Turn on your sound to hear him drumming on my chimney and then calling to her. His grammar isn’t great but I don’t think it bothers him (or her).

With a rat-a-tat-tat,

I say, where are you at?

Ms. Flicker (no red cheek slash) misses his call but comes by to announce that she’s a bit late, but she’s here.

I’m sitting right here,

Come and find me, my dear.

May 1, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 49 Comments

It’s Just Lunch

This is a post I did ten years ago, but I was reminded of it this morning when I heard the unmistakable DEE-di-di-di-di of a merlin in our nearby wooded area.

Warning: This is from a sad but true story that happened in my own yard back then (ten years ago).

The songbirds always let it be known when there’s a killer in their midst, be it a cat, a raccoon, a hawk, or a crow. Today, it seems that every bird in my little acre was shrieking with alarm — not just the usual robin whose nest was threatened, but the chickadees, nuthatches, and many others as well. When all the birds sing happy songs, it’s background music, but when they sound like several fire alarms going off, something is wrong. I went out onto the deck to have a look.

In the tall firs next to the house, many songbirds were divebombing a predator who sat and watched from her perch on a dead broken branch. I ran back into the house for my camera. The merlin (a small falcon) didn’t seem to care about me being there. She was either a juvenile or brazen or both. However it was, she allowed me to take many pictures, even posing a bit.

She ruffled her feathers, being Mrs. Cool. I’m not afraid of you!

The songbirds set up the alarm in the whole mini forest around my yard. A chickadee and a nuthatch, both tiny birds who are often chosen by the falcons as appetizers, bravely sat on the branch directly behind the merlin, scolding her.

The merlin merely gave them a look that said, “Who? Me?”

Then she looked down at the ground to see if her lunch was still there. I suspected she had done something because she had blood on her hands … er … beak.

“Yes, it was me,” she said. “I’m not proud of myself.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s just lunch.”

My little puppy, Emma, found the falcon’s intended lunch, lying on the ground below the tree. A juvenile red-shafted northern flicker, one of my favourite birds in this area.

I was choked. I don’t want to hear another person say a word about “Mother Nature.” There is nothing “motherly” about nature. As beautiful as nature is, it is also very cruel when we apply our human values to it. But that’s how it has to be.

And I do think the falcon was sorry.

I waved my arms but the falcon didn’t want to fly away. It was only when I opened the big patio umbrella that she flew off. The songbirds settled down and silence hung in the air.

When I picked up the flicker, a single tail feather fell to the ground and as I walked away, I heard one lonely bird calling. It had to be the mother giving one last quavery call to say an anguished goodbye to her baby.

My apologies that the story is so sad, but life can be like that sometimes.

March 22, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 47 Comments

Calling All Girls

*Turn on your sound for the video clips.

I sense it is that time again,

When I should find a gal,

Someone whose looks drive me insane,

Someone to be my pal.

She’ll hold me close and nuzzle me,

What bliss is yet to come,

I’ll call her and she’ll fly, you’ll see,

To visit when I drum.

I hear so many songbirds call,

My drumming will be loud,

Beware the chimney and don’t fall,

Just stand here tall and proud.

Ah, here she is, she’s come at last,

Now I need to be cool,

I can’t acknowledge her too fast,

And then be played a fool.

October 2, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 53 Comments

It’s a Cruel World Out There

The geese are moving in from places farther north where they have enjoyed warmer weather until now. They sense that the season is cooling off and have come to visit the fields of southern BC to fatten up on leftover grain, bits of corn, and anything else that looks good. Once they have met up with their friends in ever greater numbers, and they have rested and feasted and done little test flights during this staging time, many of them will fly farther south where the winter is not as harsh. A few smaller flocks will settle in to spend the winter here on Vancouver Island, in the hope that the coldest weather will be bearable and not last too long.

The eagle watches and waits. He will take advantage of any stragglers or injured birds to supplement his diet. Once the spawned out fish carcasses are cleaned up by scavengers like seagulls, crows, and eagles, it will be time for a new food source. For the eagles it will often be crippled waterfowl of many kinds.

This bald eagle has a good view of a cornfield that often attracts ducks and geese. If any of them are not able to keep up with the flock, they will make an easy target for a predatory bird.

Little songbirds like these chipping sparrows will be targeted by hawks who sit silently in the nearby trees, waiting for an opportunity to swoop down and scoop up a little snack.

This broad-winged hawk would be happy with a songbird or even a careless squirrel. Patience and alertness are what it’s all about.

The merlin doesn’t mind picking up a songbird either. He’ll happily take down a flicker that might be almost the same size as him.

The red-shafted northern flicker had better be alert. It’s a dangerous world out there.

The general rule for non-predatory birds, especially in the autumn, is “heads up or be eaten.” It’s the raptors who are the meat eaters, while the gentler plant- and insect-eaters need to fear them.

And I haven’t even mentioned the owls yet. Rabbits and mice beware!

March 28, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 25 Comments

Drumming Up Business

This flicker likes my chimney. It’s a perfect drum for establishing territory, possibly for protecting nearby nesting areas. She was here doing the same thing a year ago. How do I know it’s a “she”? The male red-shafted flickers have a red moustache slash. The females do not.

She hears another flicker and answers the call and then drums to assert her right to the territory.

And speaking of drumming up business, please visit my other blog site, annelisplace for everything related to books, reading, and writing. https://annelisplace.wordpress.com/2023/03/28/say-youll-come/

January 2, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 29 Comments

Dickie’s New Year’s Resolution

Folks! Dickie here. I wasn’t going to make a New Year’s resolution, but something happened to change my mind. I’m sorry to tell you we’ve got thieves in the woodshed. Well, at the very least, they’re freeloaders.

Here’s what happened. Flossie and Flora Flicker and their brother Floyd were checking out breakfast joints….

“I’ve been picking at the ground for those ant eggs and beetles, but they’ve all gone into hiding,” said Flossie.

“Give it up. I know a better place,” called Flora.

“What did you say?” Flossie shouted. “I had my head in the sand there for a minute. Didn’t hear what you said.”

“I said, Flossie, there are easier ways to get a meal around here. Your brother, Floyd has already gone to look. So, are you interested?”

“I know the sunflower seeds are stashed around here, in the woodpile,” Floyd mumbled. “I bet Rufus Towhee knows where they are, but he hasn’t been very helpful.”

“I was just about to tell Floyd about the sunflower seeds in the jar,” said Rufus, “but then he found this big ugly bug. I just had to turn my back. Can’t stand to watch him crunching away on it.”

“And now for dessert!”

“I do feel a little bit bad, eating Dickie’s sunflower seeds. He’ll be so disappointed when he sees they’re gone.”

“Oh deardeardear! They found my stash. And Floyd is bigger than I am. Did you see that spear of a beak on him? Well … lesson learned. My first New Year’s resolution – I’m going to have to start getting up earlier and get my share.”

July 31, 2022
by wordsfromanneli 47 Comments

Flossie the Floozie

Have you ever been ignored by someone you care about? You wait, hopeful for conversation, and … nothing.

I told Floyd, “My name’s Flossie. How are you?” But he was so snooty. He just flew to a nearby tree and ignored me. Let me tell you, I was hurt.

I was seriously doubting myself. Having a confidence meltdown. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Why didn’t he like me? He was so unfriendly. Just stuck his nose in the air. He was fine as long as HE was talking, but as soon as I said something, he flew off.

Then I had a thought. I … er … I … hadn’t had a bath in a while.

I checked my pits. Hmmm…. Got myself tidied up and as I sat there waiting, I realized that when I introduced myself, he must have thought I said my name was Floozie, not Flossie.

Well, now we wait … and we’ll see. I should wait a few minutes before I call him back. Wait until my feathers aren’t so ruffled. But still, what a nerve of him to be so rude.