Light as a Feather

After yesterday's rain, the sunshine today brought out a bevy of backyard birds, eager to enjoy the suet and seed cakes in our feeders.

Showing great self restraint, I limited myself to one "photo session" today -- mainly because I'm deep into some genealogical research.

In the main photo, the flight feather shafts of this Northern Red-Shafted Flicker male are just settling down against his body after he's landed. The extra shows another male about to take off, with the flight feather shafts in full view, leaving the feeder to an awestruck male Hairy Woodpecker.

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