Towheeblog

Male flicker assiduously working away at nest hole. Then urgent urge is to get that hole made so his mate can lay some eggs. The species and evolution demand it.
The pair can have from 3 to 10 eggs. The depth of the cavity will be at least 10 inches, but can be much more. The opening will be two to four inches in diameter, round. Locally only the Pileated tends to make an opening more often conical than round. Incubation takes about twelve to sixteen days after last egg is laid. Flickers may re-model an old nest hole and re-use. They may also try to raise a second brood if food supply is good.

Flicker nest caivities are used by a wide variety of other organisms from fungi to Bufflehead. In many forested areas flickers are a keystone species, necessary for many parts of the ecosystem.

Here’s the nuthatch at Clark Creek:

IN THE GARDEN
The orange-crown was around, but too busy for a good portrait today.

Clark Creek Park, Marion, Oregon, US
Mar 29, 2022. 9 species

Red-breasted Sapsucker  1
Northern Flicker  2     male drilling nest hole along creek near waterfalls
Steller’s Jay  1
California Scrub-Jay  1
American Crow  5
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch  1
Song Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  2

954 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Mar 29, 2022
21 species

Cackling Goose  40     fly over
Wild Turkey  2
Mourning Dove  X
Northern Flicker  1
California Scrub-Jay  X
American Crow  X
Black-capped Chickadee  X
Chestnut-backed Chickadee  X
Bushtit  2
European Starling  X
American Robin 1
House Finch  X
Pine Siskin  X
Lesser Goldfinch  2
Dark-eyed Junco  20
Fox Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow  1
Golden-crowned Sparrow  2
Song Sparrow  1
Spotted Towhee  1
Orange-crowned Warbler  1