Returning to Mead Botanical Garden

I got a chance to return to Mead Botanical Garden after a long absence due to job searching. I really wanted to try for a shot of the Red-headed Woodpeckers now that the skies had cleared and the winds died down a little.

I began my usual path through the park passing the newly planted Camillias but found nothing. Not much was in sight or calling until I neared the cement bridge where a call caught my attention. It was a male Black-and-White Warbler. It was feeding in the branches overhead so close that I could barely get it in the camera's zoom range but I repositioned myself and waited for a better shot and was finally rewarded.



Marcus and Larry arrived soon afterwards and we wandered a bit. Larry and I decided to go out on the old section of boardwalk to see if we could locate the Red-headed Woodpecker out in the wetlands which had not been seen for a while. We first found 6 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Six!) chasing one another and chasing off warblers. Eventually, I spotted the woodpecker on one of the snags.



It hung out on this tree for a while near the top and finally moved lower and entered what appeared to be a nest hole. Perhaps it was always hiding there causing it not to be seen. Now we know where to look.

Now to get the other bird on the other side of the park for a closer shot when I can.