red bellies

 























A pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers live in the wild wild woods.  This winter, they come to the feeder tray one at a time, so observers might think there is only one.  But they give themselves away when they call to one another from different trees.  The male has more red feathers on his head, extending from his lores all the way to the nape of his neck.  And yes, they do have a patch of red or orange feathers on their bellies.

ground camouflage

Camouflage of brown and gray and buff.  The outfit allows a sparrow to blend in among the leaves and litter while hunting for seeds, fruits, and insects on the ground.  But the pure white throat, striped head, and yellow lores gives away this White Throated Sparrow.  They've come south for the winter from Canada where they breed and raise young in nests on the ground.  

nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatches forage up, down, and sideways on tree trunks and around large branches.
They often start high in a tree and move down head first, probing into bark crevices or chipping away at wood to find food while moving quickly at odd angles.  On a vertical surface like a suet cage, they turn upside down, pausing to crane their necks up and back for a look around.