A pileated pair

The creek was iced over again.  As teh sun warmed it, the ice gradually retreated.

A red belied woodpecker had no sooner landed on the suet than it was intimidated and flew off.  Then I saw why when a male pileated woodpecker took its place.  I took many photos but I noticed the bird kept pausing to look at something.  Eventually a female pileated appeared.  She seemed more interested in him than in a suet breakfast.  Seeing a pair was a first for me. 

Warblers began to arrive and the female red bellied woodpecker showed up as soon as the pileateds left.  A blue jay longed for barkbutter but was anxious about something.and retreated to the dogwood.  A mockingbird did not share the jay's concern.  Not long after, the feral cat came to do some birdwatching.  

Some birds were unimpressed.  A brown thrasher hardly paused its barkbutter eating.  A more cautious bluebird watched from a tree.   Two brown headed nuthatches raided the seed feeder.  Then I saw what I think was a female cowbird on the seed feeder.  A Carolina wren hunted goodies in the snow.  I saw a bird land in the cherry.  To my surprise, it was a cedar wax wing.  

A great blue heron took over the dam and drove off an egret.  The heron tolerated hooded mergansers.