Philk

Yeh, seems the pileated is rare so to have one coming to our feeder is awesome - it is so big as well, about a foot. Attached are the other 2 types of woodpecker - plus a pic showing the assorted birds all sharing a feeder.
Problem with the feeder is all the shells really show up against the snow

Yorkieabroad

We see quite a few of the pileated round here, though nowhere near as close as you are getting! I was really impressed with a ladies eyesight last weekend...she spotted one in flight from a good distance off, just skimming the top of the trees. Then she explained that all woodpeckers have a unique up and down motion when they fly, which, once it's pointed out is very obvious, and that this one was too big to be any other type.

WEBlue

It's true, they swoop in a very distinctive way (fast short arcs). Swallows swoop too, but the arc is longer and more graceful.

It's funny, I never noticed many woodpeckers in the UK, just a few of the littler ones (downy woodpeckers?) with the red splotch on their heads once in a while. I suppose it's because there are not nearly the number of trees back there that there are here in many parts of the US. My part of the US has some huge forests.

Yorkieabroad

We had a lot of trees back in the UK - lots of Forestry Commission land - but I don't think I'd ever seen a woodpecker in the wild until we came here. You're right about the swallows -they are far more graceful....the woodpeckers look more like a swimmer doing breast stroke, popping their heads up for a breath each stroke!

Southy_SWFC

I've borrowed a game camera today so I'll really get to see whats going around our house at night soon

rpjs

We recently put out a bird feeder at the back of the house and its attracted a lot of birds - a lot of slate-colored juncos have taken up residence in the terraces behind our house plus we've had titmice, bluejays and cardinals. There have also been squirrels hanging out by the feeder. It's supposed to be squirrel-proof but it was nearly emptied in the space of a day yesterday. The juncos are getting very fat though, so it might have been them. Our two cats love sitting by the nearest window watching the birds and calling to them.

Best of all was just after the last snow storm but one we had a Canada goose fly into our front yard. He looked very cold and bedraggled and appeared to be very hungry - he kept stumbling as he wandered about looking for food in the snow. We threw some birdseed out front and he hoovered it up and that seemed to give him enough strength that he eventually flew away.

yellowroom

On the woodpecker front, I've got a yellow-bellied sapsucker that visits occasionally. Along with the usual titmice, chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches, juncos, woodpeckers and finches I've had a Brown Thrasher visit with several Eastern Bluebirds this winter.

I also have some kind of hawk that flies about, always know when as the birdfeeder is deserted. I've not been able to identify it though, I think it's some kind of juvenile and/or female as the markings don't quite match up with the ones in my "book of Virginia birds". Maybe I'll post a picture when I get home and see if anyone else can name it.

Philk

If you get a good picture of it then you could try Google image compare to try and find out what it is. Though trying the expat twitchers would also be good

yellowroom

Seems I had a copy here. Anyone know what this is?

Kneeno

Bears. Mother-in-law had one sniffing round the squirrel feeder a few nights ago. She gets them every winter.

WEBlue

So if that's a rust-coloured blaze on its shoulder, it could be a red-shouldered hawk. We've got some here in southern New England, they like woodland. The short thick body and shortish tail look like our red-shoulders' kind of build....

On the other hand, if it's a youngster it may change colour somewhat as it grows.

ottotheboar

Do they have a high pitched quite long call ?

yellowroom

seems to be a contender. Googling pictures of red shouldered hawks there seems to be a wide variation in markings, but as you say the shape and size look about right. I will say though that this ones feet and legs are bright yellow. It's the first thing I spotted when it landed on the tree outside my window. Like it had marigolds on!

I have no idea - it can be quite a cacophony of bird noise out there and unless I'm looking directly at the bird at the time I've no idea what call belongs to what bird I'm afraid.

ottotheboar

Voles are called "field rats" round here and I was told that "a field rat's breath will dead your skin" and if they get in your house can bite you in your sleep.

Nutmegger

Does it look a bit like this Sharp Shinned Hawk?

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/S...hinned_Hawk/id