I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself,   While visiting my mother-in-law who lives just across the road from us,  I looked out her large picture window where 3 - 1 quart hummingbird feeders hang and saw a red-bellied woodpecker clinging underneath one of the feeders while probing one of the access holes.  He only stayed for a few seconds, but I called out my surprise to everyone in the room.  I was then told that this was the 2nd time a RB woodpecker had visited the hummingbird feeder.  The million dollar question is - what was he after? Has anyone else witnessed this behavior before?

My mother-in-law has about 2 dozen hummers right now, but has been known to have up to 40.  She also experienced a decline in hummers a few days ago, but they seem to be back.  She fills each quart feeder once per day.  So far she's gone through over 10 pounds of sugar.  Last summer she went through 100 pounds.

Other highlights of the day were a single male RB grosbeak at my feeder and a singing American Redstart.  Have been hearing yellow-billed cuckoos regularly and had 3 visits so far from a scarlet tanager.  Last year not a one was sighted or heard at our place.  Also LOTS of cedar waxwings.

Happy birding,
Michele Skolmutch
2.5 miles south of Nashville, Holmes County, Ohio


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