Northern "Red Shafted" Flicker (Colaptes auratus cafer)

A pair of Northern "Red Shafted" Flickers (Colaptes auratus cafer) at the top and bottom of the picture

Northern "Red Shafted" Flicker (Colaptes auratus cafer) 

Northern "Red Shafted" Flicker (Colaptes auratus cafer) 

I saw these Northern Flickers in Old Town Fort Collins today in my backyard around 11:30AM.  They blended in with the tree trunk, so I didn't immediately see them when I was tracking the Black-capped Chickadees.  Once I did see them, I ended up getting some so-so pictures of them, with the last one really showing the typical coloration of these birds.  According to the literature, these birds are in Florida too, so be on the look-out in your back yards, Easties!  You can read more about this bird, and how it's name was assigned in error, here.

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

I saw this bird on Mulberry Street in Fort Collins, Colorado today around 11:30AM.  I was walking home and ended up tracking it around the block to my back yard of all places.  These pictures aren't the best, mostly because they were far away and I was just using a point and shoot style camera.  This is the first time I have seen these birds, so that is kind of cool.  Also perched in this tree was a pair of Northern Flickers and an American Robin.  More on those birds later. For now, you can read more about this kind of chickadee here, including how they smash seeds on things to break them open.

U P D A T E:
I saw this chickadee on Green Lake in Seattle, Washington on May 31st, 2011 in the afternoon.

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

I saw this chickadee in Bothell, Washington in the morning on June 1st, 2011.

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)