First sighting!

by Cindy Gerber
(West hartford, CT)

We have an open "umbrella" decorative feeder hanging 1 ft. outside of our 1 yr. old's bedroom window. I use Wild Bird's Unlimited premium birdseed mix. In our yard we attract the usual Chicadees, Tufted Titmice, all kinds of Finches, Nuthatches, Cardinals & Downey, Hairy & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Morning Doves, Hummingbirds. This morning when I opened the shade, I saw a HUGE bird flee from the feeder & head to the front yard...I must have surprised him...I looked around & saw a Medium size (maybe young) Pileated woodpecker on a tree towards the backyard! Sure enough, there were 2 of them! The other one came back into sight...seemed much larger. I had seen one once before in Tolland CT, But his was the first sighting in W. Htfd. CT. Very exciting! I am going to go out & get some suet to hang on the tree, though we have TONS of squirrels who will probably get at it. My 1 year old is quite impressed with birds already! Unfortunately I didn't get a good pic...