Backyard and Beyond

We’ve been lucky enough to catch the changing of the guard at this Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) nest a couple of times. Parent flies to hole, perching outside. Other parent bird flies out. First parent scoots in hole.That black mark, the malar, on the cheek means this is the male. He spends a minute looking out before tucking deeper inside. Soon there should be some frantic shuttling of food to the nest by both adult birds.