A special visitor

To my delight, the northern flicker has visited the backyard buffet several times this week. Described by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a "large, brown woodpecker with a gentle expression and handsome black-scalloped plumage", it creates some excitement when it appears. I love the soft brown plumage with the spotted breast. Next to the pileated woodpecker, it is my favorite of the woodpeckers that fly in for a visit. I have been surprised by see them sitting on the ground, but after doing a little research, I learned that is typical behavior because insects and bugs are a large part of their diet.