I was delighted to spot this male Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge as it acrobatically pecked away at some seedpods hanging high in the trees. Fellow dragonfly enthusiast Walter Sanford commented on a Facebook posting that that the seed pods look like trumpet vine (Campsis radicans). Check out his 2011 blog posting entitled Trumpet vine fruit and seeds for more details on this plant.
Downy Woodpeckers are the smallest woodpeckers in our area, about 6 inches long (15 cm), and the lightest, about one ounce (28 g). Still, it was a bit surprising the way that the woodpecker was hanging on the seedpod as it hammered away at it.
During warmer weather Downy Woodpeckers eat mostly insects, but it looked to me like this one was trying to extract seeds from the pods. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “About a quarter of their diet consists of plant material, particularly berries, acorns, and grains.” Whatever the case, this woodpecker appeared to be determined and focused on his task.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Great photos, Mike. We get downy woodpeckers around here, but they move on quickly unless there’s food hanging for them.
Nice Mike! Always fun to see & photograph woodpeckers!
Yes, a Trumpet Vine. The same vine I previously photographed the small Anole lizards and Tree Frogs on.
Fat fingers published before finished LOL. Great shots, unusual which makes it even better.
Thanks, Ted. I was a little surprised to see the Downy Woodpecker in action like this. Normally it is on a tree or occasionally in cattails, but never hanging from a vine like it was here.
Really enjoy your blog! Thank you. Another possibility is there were insects or something else edible besides the seeds in the pod. Someone probably knows the answer. I couldn’t say with any certainty. Nature is so diverse and amazing. Either way some great photos!
Thanks, Cindy. There may possibly be insects or insects larvae in the pods–it’s hard to know for sure. The woodpecker was sure determined to get into the pod, so I have to believe that there was something tasty inside.
It is about the same size as the pod! Love the way you capture bird eyes in your photos!
Thanks, Molly. My favorite shots are almost always those that show the eyes, especially when there is a highlight in the eyes that helps to bring the birds to life.
Always a tad jealous of your woodpecker captures… Another amazing beauty and moment in time preserved. 💕 Such good photography.