Pilated Woodpecker

While out for an early morning walk, I noticed large pieces of wood falling from a tree.  After closer inspection, I found this Pilated Woodpecker hammering away on a tree.  

You can see she has made quite a large hole in the tree.  She pulled out many grubs in the ten minutes I stood and watched her.  

How to tell this is a female, the male Pilated has a red "moustache" just under their eye and along the top of the beak.

The next morning while walking again, I found what I assume is the same female in about the same area getting breakfast.  I sat at a nearby picnic table and waited over 20 minutes for her to come on the side of the dead tree by me.  Unfortunately this was as close as she got.  As this dead tree had become hollow, it made quite a racket when she was hammering on it.

A Blue Jay in a Sycamore tree.

I was thrilled this spring when this very special visitor showed up many times at my birdfeeder.   It is a beautiful male Indigo Bunting.  I was so happy to capture a photo of him.

Cedar Waxwings

While out for a walk on a crisp spring morning, I happened to stumble upon a small tree, no more than 18 feet tall loaded with Cedar Waxwings.  As the temperature was not much over 40 degrees, they were all basking in the warm early morning light.  I am not sure what type of tree they were in as it had no leaves, only these blooms on it.  The waxwings were really enjoying eating all the buds.  Waxwings usually feed on berries, especially from the Cedar tree, hence their name, they will also eat insects caught as they fly.

Many people feel this is one of the most beautiful of all birds.  They can be found in northern North America for breeding and then go to Panama for the winters.  The last few years, I have seen them year round in the midwest.  They will be seen in flocks.  Their population is on the rise in Illinois.

One of the birds eating on the tree buds.  You can see a bit of the red
"wax" markings on his wing.  This mark is actually a cuticle type casing similar to what a new feather grows in around.   Only the adult waxwings will have these.

A small portion of the tree the Waxwings were in.  I believe there are thirteen birds in this shot.  Can you find them all?

Summer Tanager

This is the male Summer Tanager. His brilliant red really stands out in the green leaves. He is the only completely red bird in North America. The tanager is a songbird who is a member of the cardinal genus of birds. The female tanager is yellow with olive-brown markings on her wings.

They live in wooded areas, especially ones containing oak trees. They are not often seen and tend to stay in the upper branches of trees.

Summer Tanagers love to eat bees and wasps. They will eat the larvae or the adults. They will rub the adult bee or wasp on a branch before eating to remove the stinger. Smart birds!