Celebrate Good Times!!!!  Great yard bird today.  It has been 15 years since we've seen a Red-headed Woodpecker in our yard.  Tonight we watched a beautiful male flit from tree to tree and fly to the ground numerous times to feed.
In the winter of 1998, a young male decided to claim our yard and bird feeder as "HIS".  We called him "our backyard brat".  He would not allow any birds to be anywhere near our feeder.  If one did attempt to eat, "Brat" came diving in sounding a warning rattling call and chased it away.  Brat saved us a lot of money that winter!!!  It was interesting to watch the changes while his head was becoming that gorgeous shade of red.  At one point, he looked like a pimply-faced teenager.  I took many photos of Backyard Brat's changes which truly tell a great story.  Needless-to-say, we are hoping tonight's RHWO will hang around.

Lois Harder
Oak Harbor, Ohio
Ottawa County

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