Northern Flickers

Ahoy there, matey! So ye be landlubbin' on these veritable shores of Mutiny Bay, eh? Heard ye askin' 'bout those feathered critters, the Red-shafted Northern Flickers - the ones with salmon-colored undersides, feeding their juvenile charges? Well, ye've come to the right place!

 

See, these 'ere waters, Mutiny Bay - and the trees in which these woodpeckers dwell - be named for a bit o' ruckus back in the day. Some say British lads jumped ship and settled these parts, others whisper 'bout a mutiny by the Indian crew of a trading vessel, keen on the cargo and some whiskey, aye!

 

Now, those Northern Flickers, they be as common as barnacles on a boulder 'round these PNW parts. Ye can spot 'em easy – greyish brown backs with dark checked lines and spots on their bellies like sea charts speckled with black hearts.

 

And these ain't yer regular, tree-bound woodpeckers, mind ye. These flickers, they like to get down and dirty, hoppin' 'round on the ground, searchin' for ants and beetles with their long, sticky tongues. They've a proper knack for it, they do! Ye'll hear 'em too, a loud rattle or a sharp "klee-yer," sounds like a warning cry to stay off their bounty!

 

So next time ye spot one o' these Red-shafted Northern Flickers on Whidbey Island, remember the old tales of Mutiny Bay. And give 'em a nod, for they be a part of this island's wild spirit, just like the salty sea dogs of old (like me self).

Now, avast!

 

Ye be sure to visit & subscribe to www.youtube.com/@TalonsAndTides -- or may ye sleep in the deep o' Davy Jones' locker tonight...yarrgghhh!

Done