A few days ago we decided to get our dose of fresh air during a quick walk along the Old Quarry Trail. I always enjoy those little trips because I get a chance to visit the little feathered friends and bring them some treats.
Plain, unsalted peanuts are always a hit with the chickadees and nuthatches when we encounter them. This cute chickadee was closely observing us while we peeled some peanuts for them.
This nuthatch was quite a vocal fellow and scared away the chickadees frequently to collect new peanut pieces for his seed stash somewhere in the trees. The chickadees eat their nut pieces right away when they pick them from the hand contrary to the nuthatch who flies back and forth way too quickly to actually eat all that much in such a short time.
For the second time this winter I saw a Pileated Woodpecker. The first encounter was so brief though that I couldn't really get a good look at him.
Not this time. We almost missed him sitting on a tree right next to the trail but then he called out which obviously got our attention. He clearly enjoyed snacking on some dried berries, which I think were of some sort of wild grape variety that was growing up a tree.
He was so busy looking for them that I was able to come a little bit closer. Such a pretty and rather large woodpecker. I'm really glad that this time I got a proper look at him. :)
We left while he was still picking berries.
