Hairy Woodpecker

Yesterday morning, 20 November 2014, saw me out on a bird walk in the morning. The weather has been reasonably mild recently, with sunshine and blue skies. The only bird photo I got was of this male Hairy Woodpecker, which I’m posting today, partly for comparison with the Downy Woodpecker photo I posted yesterday.

"The larger of two look alikes (Hairy and Downy), the Hairy Woodpecker is a small but powerful bird that forages along trunks and main branches of large trees. It wields a much longer bill than the Downy Woodpecker's almost thornlike bill. Hairy Woodpeckers have a somewhat soldierly look, with their erect, straight-backed posture on tree trunks and their cleanly striped heads. Look for them at backyard suet or sunflower feeders, and listen for them whinnying from woodlots, parks, and forests.” From AllABoutBirds.

After the walk, I paid another visit to where the Long-tailed Weasel can sometimes be seen. Various friends were there, too, and we were treated to a few good photo opps, including with some of the eight or so Meadow Voles it caught while we were there. It is an amazing hunter, moving so rapidly over the uneven, snowy ground and tangles of dead plants and fallen logs.

In the evening, I went to an excellent talk on Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park / Áísínai'pi National Historic Site, which is about a three and a half hour drive south of Calgary. I’ve only ever been there once and that was 30+ years ago. A fascinating landscape to see and photograph. Rattlesnakes, too!

A 3:55 min video about Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park / Áísínai'pi National Historic Site from Alberta Parks:

youtu.be/_zsdWv0mQMI