Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - adult female

I photographed this Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) near the edge of a forest in a mountainous area of Larimer County, Colorado.  This individual is an adult female.  The markings of the male of the species are very similar, but the male has a red patch at the back of its head.

The diet of the Hairy Woodpecker consists mainly of insects, although they also will eat seeds and fruits. They are known to eat the larvae of the bark beetles that infest Ponderosa Pines in Colorado, so these birds are a welcome sight.

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) - adult female

Ground Squirrel Says: "I Haz a Cornz"

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis)

I had been out photographing wildflowers, and on the way home I stopped at a scenic overlook near the edge of the town of Estes Park, Colorado.  I saw a man sprinkle an assortment of seeds and nuts on the ground for the squirrels and chipmunks known to hang out there.  A dozen or so critters showed up in a flash and began picking through the scattered bits searching for their favorites.

While most of the animals scampered about, stuffing their cheek pouches with as much as they could, this one little guy, a Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, picked up a single item at a time and daintily nibbled at it.  By a stroke of luck, my trusty macro lens was already mounted on my camera, so I was able to snap a couple of close-up shots of the corn-eating squirrel.

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel eating corn