Hairy Woodpecker Father Feeds His Son

 
With Father’s Day just around the corner, it’s moving to see the devotion hairy woodpecker fathers show to their children. I’m privileged to have witnessed the development of the youngsters and the caretaking skills of their parents. Here Dad is giving Junior more to eat:

 

 
Junior explores while waiting for his father to bring more to eat. His bill is shorter and his red crest is grizzled, but he’s up to a few hearty taps on the bark, and even spies an ant:

 

 
He got the ant, all on his own:

 

 
Woodpeckers have very long tongues, and like hummingbirds, will lick insects off the bark. The ladies had to get in on the action and soon showed up for their own meals. A mother feeds her daughter in this shot (Mom is on the left):

 

 
The young female is alert for any free lunches she can get on her own, too:

 

 
Birds are delightful to watch. Their beauty, grace, and devotion to their offspring never fail to send my mind on flights of fancy, and I never lose interest in photographing them.

 
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