News & Views

My Friend "Flicker"

Male Flicker, photo by GaryCormier
Male Flicker
photo by Gary Cormier

I still recall the first time I saw a Northern Flicker.  It must       have been at least 25 years ago.  We happened to be home for Spring Break, puttering around the house in the “later than     usual” morning hours.  I glanced out the back window of our new home in Liberty and yelled, “WHAT is THAT?!”  “THAT” was a large bird, with yellow and red markings and a long beak, pecking around the ground in our backyard.  Gary and I soon identified this strange bird, and they have been a favorite ever since.

Naturally, we were thrilled to observe them in our yard when we moved to Jeffersonville years later.  At first they were occasional visitors, but became regulars over the years, increasing from one or two each year, to four (4) birds that remained here all spring and summer last year.   So, this spring, we were pleased, but not surprised, when “our” first Flicker showed up on March 25th.

I have to admit, I was really hoping to be able to include this favorite of mine in our Winter Feeder Count for April, so I watched them vigilantly!  On March 27th, I observed three (3).  This was good news, but I just knew “our” fourth one would show up for the count.  On March 28th, sure enough, number 4 arrived!  And he was not alone!  Now there were five (5)!  But would they still be here April 1st? 

Female Flicker, photo by Melinda Cormier
Female Flicker
photo by Melinda Cormier

We watched them every possible minute, just willing them to stick around for at least a few more days.  We watched them so closely we were able to observe courting, then mating behavior.  I was also able to identify the female, which was new for me.  On March 31st, I recorded the five, but Gary was shouting, “You’ve got three back here!” from the backyard window!  Now there were eight (8)!!  Would they possibly stay until tomorrow?!  The weather forecast was not so great…

April 1st….Would they be there???  Imagine the surprise, not to mention relief, to see ten (10)!!!  And at least one more female had joined the group.  By this time, it was hard to keep them all in sight at once, let alone confirm the number of males and females. 

Our beautiful feathered friends stayed for weeks, through record low temperatures and snow, providing numerous courting and mating displays and magnificent views of the feathers that give this Norther Flicker its name, “Yellow-shafted Flicker”.  We enjoyed hours of viewing pleasure and numerous photo ops and learned so much about “My Friend Flicker”!

— Melinda Cormier
    Warblings, Summer 2016


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