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Birders

Mousetoescamper

(5,967 posts) Tue Mar 25, 2025, 05:54 PM Mar 25

Red-bellied Woodpecker claims its prize

Taken this afternoon at Long's Park in Lancaster, PA.

5 replies

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Red-bellied Woodpecker claims its prize (Original Post) Mousetoescamper Mar 25 OP

The biggest triumph of my young son's life cyclonefence Mar 25 #1

The red-bellied does have a seldom-seen pinkish patch on its lower belly Mousetoescamper Mar 25 #2

He sees it. He goes after it. And he exults in grabbing it! CaliforniaPeggy Mar 25 #3

Thanks, Peggy! Mousetoescamper Mar 25 #4

mine AllaN01Bear Wednesday #5

cyclonefence

(5,033 posts)

1. The biggest triumph of my young son's life

Reply to Mousetoescamper (Original post)

Tue Mar 25, 2025, 06:26 PM

Mar 25

(he was ten or so) happened when we were having a lunch party, and an obnoxious guy (a must-invite for various reasons) pointed to the suet feeder outside our window and exclaimed, "Oh, look! A red-headed woodpecker!" My son, at his side, softly said, "No, that's a red-belly." The obnoxious guy: "I'm a scoutmaster, and I know my birds"--loudly--"and that's a red-headed woodpecker." Well, technically; I mean, its head *is* red.

My son handed him Roger Tory Peterson opened to the page showing a picture of woodpeckers.

"Oh."

Mousetoescamper

(5,967 posts)

2. The red-bellied does have a seldom-seen pinkish patch on its lower belly

Reply to cyclonefence (Reply #1)

Tue Mar 25, 2025, 07:54 PM

Mar 25

The patch is visible in this photo I took a few years ago.

Thanks for sharing the story of your son's correcting the scoutmaster and his fallacious appeal to authority.