Last year it seemed like I saw Downy Woodpeckers everywhere, but this year I have sighted only a few of them. I took this shot of a female Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) in mid-October during a visit to Theodore Roosevelt Island, a nature preserve in the Potomac River opposite the District of Columbia.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
This year, I have been seeing Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers. Saw one just yesterday at Schoolhouse Pond in Upper Marlboro. I love the little Downy’s, though.
With more of the leaves off of the trees, I am hoping to see more woodpeckers. At the top of the list of the ones that I hope to photograph is the Pileated, but I happy whenever I spot the Downys too.
Just perfect
A real classy shot – full of detail
Nice photo Mike!
I like these woodpeckers and their odd look at the tree as they appear to be listening. Nicely done.
aww what a lovely woodpecker, great shot, well done 😀
Thanks. I really do love woodpeckers. They seem so serious and focused all of the time.
Yeah me to there such a pleasure to watch and great to photograph 🙂
Perfect photo! He seems very interested in that shield lichen. I wonder if they use lichens for nesting material like so many other birds do.
Wow. Glad you could identify the lichen. I am not sure if the woodpecker was gathering the lichen or not.