On Wednesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, it was fun photographing this colorful Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) feasting in a field of sumac. The muted tones of the sumac really help the female flicker to stand out in this image, particularly because she turned to the side and revealed the patch of bright red on the nape of her neck.
In case you are curious, I can tell that she is a female, because she lacks the black “mustache” stripe that is present with males. If you want to see a male Northern Flicker for the sake of comparison, check out my post from December 2020 entitled “Flicker in December.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Wow amazing pictures and wise words❤️
Thanks.
Such a beautiful photo! Almost like a planned painting with the perfect colors. Thank you!
Thanks, Ann. It’s funny that you mention a painting, because I had the same thought. The blurred sprays of sumac are almost perfectly distributed to add texture and interest to the image without distracting from the primary subject. I did crop the image a bit to emphasize the height of the plant stalks and to make sure that the bird was not right in the center, but the image for the most part is what I was seeing in the viewfinder of my camera when I took the shot.
Beautiful capture, Mike. Wonderful bird!
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Thanks, Mitzy.
What a Beautiful portrait of this very special bird in its habitat, Mike! I have only seen a Flicker once, and it was quite far off in a tree.
Thanks. Most of the time that I see flickers, they are high in the trees and appear to be dark in color. It is amazing, though, to see how the sunlight reveals their dazzling colors and patterns.
What a gorgeous bird – Great photo! 🙂
Thanks. It is wonderful to spot these colorful birds and a double pleasure when I am able to capture them in such a photogenic environment.
Like finding treasure on a hunt. 🙂
Lovely portrait, Mike!
Thanks, Eliza.
An excellent portrait of an elegant lady! A perfect capture that reveals the red area which adds a dash of color to the plumage. I did not know that the Northern Flicker is part of the woodpecker family until several years ago. Benjamin and I had spotted one in the backyard and after a bit of research identified our mystery visitor. We knew other woodpeckers on sight, Downy and Red-Bellied to name two, but the Northern Flicker was a pleasant surprise. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!
Thanks, Ellen. You always have such wonderful, enlightening stories of Benjamin’s discoveries. I have always admired and tried to emulate the creative curiosity of children like Benjamin and I love the way that you have help to nourish and sustain his growth.
She’s a beauty! I know I have one nearby, but it hasn’t yet ventured close enough for a photo.
Wow, what a stunning bird! The black dots are so unusual and that bright red stripe… really spectacular Mike!
Thanks, Chris. The Northern Flicker has an amazing combination of colors and patterns. I don’t think that I could pull off an outfit with that much going on, but this bird manages to make it look stylish. 🙂
Beautiful
This is a beautiful capture, Mike! A very nice composition, with the sumac and rest of the background working very nicely to offset this lovely bird.
Thanks, Ellen.
I love seeing flickers