Red-letter Day

Well, really a Red-headed Woodpecker day - which is always a red-letter day for me.
RHWO's might just be my favorite species in my favorite family of birds, and whenever one is reported near my area I get pretty excited. They have become more difficult to find in the last several years - as opposed to Red-bellied Woodpeckers which seem to be increasing at an almost alarming rate. I have a hypothesis that as the Red-bellied Woodpeckers are increasing their range northward, they are displacing the Red-headed Woodpeckers.
Anyway, a RHWO was reported yesterday visiting the feeders in somebody's yard two towns over from where I work, so I checked into it at lunch. They owners have done a very nice job in making their yard vbery bird-freindly and it has obvioulsy paid off, and they are welcoming birders to see the bird. As you can see from the photos below, it is a juvenile bird with a mostly brownish hood, but with the beginnings of red to come in. While I was there, I also saw or heard Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Pileated woodpeckers. The owner also mentioned that they saw yellow-bellied Sapsucker there as recently as this morning. The lure of a 6 woodpecker day almost had me calling in to work saying that I wouldn't be back today. sigh Another time. In the meantime, I am thrilled to have seen seen one of my favorite birds today.