drumming | wordsfromanneli

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.

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/