I had read on Bird Brains that a redheaded woodpecker had been spotted in a neighborhood in St. Petersburg. Hanging out near a vacant lot that used to be a school. Since it’s really close to where I work, I headed down there after work last week. I thought it might be a needle in a haystack thing but after looking for close to an hour, I found it.
It looks like he might be a juvenile since the red feathers on his head are not completely filled out. He was sitting high up in a palm tree right on the road. This is only the 2nd one I’ve seen and the first in Florida. My first sighting was in a cemetery in Atlanta.
You can see his beautiful redhead from the back.
As I was taking pictures, a nice gentleman walking his dog stopped and asked what was so interesting. I told him about the rare redheaded woodpecker. He looked at it and then walked a few feet away and came back and said “There’s another redheaded woodpecker over here.” I said “Yes, but that’s a red bellied woodpecker which is more common.” He said “But he has a redhead.” He looked at me like I was crazy.
After a while he flew off farther away into a tree. The sun was going down quickly so I left and headed home.
I want to thank Don Margeson for keeping tabs and posting the sighting on Bird Brains.
Congrats, Dina! Great shots of another beautiful bird!
Great shots of this beautiful fellow!
very cool. never see them in texas.
I agree … definately a juvenile, but still well on his way to being beautiful. Nice pictures. I have been lucky because there is a family of them living in our neighborhood. they frequent my feeders and I love them. They are one of the few woodpeckers we have that migrate for the winder, so I am still awaiting their return.
loving your woodpecker photos; how I’d love to see this for real
Very pretty photos of a beautiful bird! Nice close-up shots!
Beautiful photos, Dina! Great detail! I think Red-bellied Woodpeckers are poorly named since it’s difficult to see the faint red on their bellies. Nice shots!