Young Male Downy

[jmcquown]

At first I thought it was the "daddy" male downy woodpecker. He was about
the size of an adult downy. But he was hesitant. He was hanging onto the
shepherd's hook, looking rather intimidated by the three carolina chickadees
that were on the suet cage. He waited until they flew off. Then it
appeared he couldn't figure out how to get from clutching the hook to
getting to the suet. He finally figured out he could make a brief (3 inch)
flight to get to the suet.

Apparently he forgot he forgot he's a woodpecker :) Woodpeckers don't build
nests low in the trees. Or in shrubs or ornamental bushes around a house.
This little guy probably just recently learned how to scoot up and down the
pine tree just off my property, next to the rough by the golf green. And
today he flew over for some suet. And was confounded by a shepherd's hook
:) He's still learning. And the mother bird is still helping.

I do love this time of year :)

Jill
Way South Carolina