Sweet Sip of Nectar

I have a male Downy Woodpecker that loves the peanuts in the feeder I have in my back yard. He frequents the feeder several times during the day. The Downy is the smallest woodpecker in North America measuring only 6 3/4". Male Downy Woodpeckers have a red patch on the back of the head.

The Downy is very similar to the Hairy Woodpecker in appearance. The Hairy is larger and lacks the dark bars on the outer tail feathers.
I love watching the little woodpecker on the peanut and suet feeder. He has started exhibiting a strange behavior today that I haven't noticed before. He has been sipping nectar from the Hummingbird feeder! I've heard that woodpeckers like fruit so this may be the reason why he likes the sweet, sugar water.

It may be because of the extreme 100 degree heat we've had lately. I've never seen a woodpecker at my bird bath before so I'm not sure where they get water from.

I know where he got some today!

Finches, Finches, Finches!

My bro-in-law, Kevin, and I were sitting at the kitchen table last Saturday morning watching the birds when several male and female House Finches decided to it was time for breakfast. About 6-8 converged all at once on our birdseed and sunflower feeders.



As a couple finches were waiting for their turn on the feeder, they did something we thought was very interesting. A few began to sip sugar water from the nearby hummingbird feeder. They lost interest in the birdseed feeders and began taking turns taking a drink!