Well, I’ll be jiggered.

For months, nothing really exciting on the bird front–the slate-sided juncoes returning was the only recent highlight, and it’s just been the same usual visitors, and I’ve been sufficiently busy that I hadn’t commented too much. And just now, I look out the window, and there’s a bloody huge woodpecker on the suet with a yellow herringbone back, teeny red band on the back of his (or her?) neck, and long black beak.

It is, in short, a Northern Flicker of the yellow-shafted eastern variety. They’re not a uncommon bird, but I’ve never had one at my feeder before.

Cool.