Imagine Danielle Putnam’s surprise when she spotted an unusual visitor clinging on to her hummingbird feeder recently. Upon closer inspection she saw that it was a Hairy Woodpecker, not a mighty big hummingbird! Danielle said she has four Hairy Woodpeckers and two Downy Woodpeckers around her home and the Hairy Woodpeckers always announce their presence, especially when their seed cakes are gone. I guess this guy wasn’t waiting for the seed cake to be replaced, he just decided to drink some of the humminbird nectar instead. I’m not sure how much he could get out of the feeder, but his beak looks long enough to drink something. I asked Google and it said that the Hairy Woodpecker has a very long tongue that can extend far past the tip of its bill so that it can probe deep into insect tunnels. There’s your bird lesson for Tuesday!

Today’s video is from 906 Outdoors with Brian Whitens, featuring Dave Stimac from Nature’s Way Woodworking for a look at custom build birdseye maple furniture and more, from a couple years ago. Over the years, Dave has donated multiple tables to raise much needed funds for the Copper Country Humane Society animals. This year’s table is the 15th that Dave and Diane have donated. If you’re interested in purchasing raffle tickets to support the CCHS and for a chance to win a gorgeous table for yourself, you can enter to win for only $10.00. Just click on the following link, and the CCHS will send your ticket stubs to you upon purchase. The table drawing will be held at their annual comedy show on February 20, 2027 at the Bonfire in Houghton. Get your tickets here: Birdseye Maple Table Raffle

That's a massive hummingbird!

Just bought my tickets! They normally show those
tables at the Hilltop Restaurant in L'Anse, and
they are seriously beyond beautiful, a true work of
art!

Apparently Hairy Woodpeckers have a craving for
sweets too, great captures! Friend of mine puts out
Grape jelly in the spring for her Orioles, and a Red-
bellied Woodpecker ate it up too. Did you know most
Woodpeckers are not highly migratory, they tend to
be year-round residents. So it’s quite possible we
see the same individual birds in our neighborhood
year after year.
We had the opportunity to view some birdseye
creations from Nature’s Way several years ago UP
there, they are even better in person! The Gem &
Mineral inlaid tables are outstanding, perfect
fundraiser for the CCHS :)

Hi
When I first saw the photo I thought "Those aren't
the right colors for a Ruby-throated Hummingbird".
Great capture of something I'd never seen before.

Cindy, I've seen Downy Woodpeckers in the winter at a
place called Kensington Metropark a bit east of
Brighton. Once or twice a winter they hold an event
where you take a baggie of birdseed and walk the
trails. Every so often you stop, put some birdseed in
your hand and extend your arm. Chickadees will come,
land on your hand, take the seed and retreat to a
tree or shrub. Tufted Titmice also are willing to do
this. Some Downys will also come, some have to think
it over.

That is one of the coolest things I've seen on a
feeder of any kind. Good for that little guy to
figure out how to get sustenance when there's none
to be had. And i did not know that they were not
migratory. Very interesting.

Kathyrn, that is so awesome! When I was a kid,
we had a separate small lightweight feeder filled
with Sunflower seeds for the little guys, mostly
Chickadees and Tufties. I would wait till they
emptied it and go out with a handful of seeds,
a few Chickadees couldn’t resist and came to my
fingertips to eat. There was one with a crooked tail
feather that was especially bold, would flip through
with its beak to find the fattest Sunflower seed!
Truly an amazing feeling :)

Hi
Yes, it feels really great to have a little bird land
on you (Chickadees weigh about the same as a nickel per
the naturalist). I found it helps to have your arm and
hand close to a shrub or a tree so they feel safer.
They like having a warm bare hand to land on; I like
having a mitten.

My woodpeckers stay year round. They get fed well lol between
seed cakes after the snow goes, suet cakes in the cold months,
and me putting sunflower seeds out for the squirrels which the
woodpeckers and nuthatches go after also. Three also a mixture
of nuts and fruit put out in the cold months to help give my birdies
energy!! Once in a while a pileated woodpeckers will make their
presence on my seed and suet cakes.

Danielle, you are a true lover of nature. I love
it!!