I went to Patagonia, AZ, to photograph hummingbirds, but I also found several species of woodpeckers that live in the Southwest, including this male Gila Woodpecker.

© All Rights Reserved

While in Arizona, I saw this species in every canyon, but not always at eye-level that would allow a nice photo. Every now and then, an Acorn would position. This is a female, distinguishable by the red cap being on the back of her head with black feathering in front.

© All Rights Reserved

Yesterday, a yellow-bellied sapsucker landed on the maple tree in my yard. He stayed more than six hours as he enjoyed a steady run of sap from the maple tree that is running this time of year. You can see that sap has clustered on his beak.

© All Rights Reserved

This is another species that returns to Northern Michigan in mid-April. The male is identified by the black bar on either side of its beak. I took this photo in my back yard on the morning of the last snowfall of the season.

© All Rights Reserved

I have been trying to get a decent photo of a Pileated for some time now. I found out two pairs of these birds were living in a forest area not far from where I work. In a somewhat open area within this forest, an older couple lives, and they feed the birds that come by, including one pair of the Pileated. One afternoon, I sat for nearly three hours waiting for them to appear. My efforts were for naught. Yesterday, I returned. Four minutes after arriving, both flew by, chasing each other through the woods. The female perched on this tree next to me. Within a minute, she was gone.

© All Rights Reserved