Poor Northern Flicker bit the dust

I found its body just under the back deck, out on the back lawn. It may have flown into the window. I don't know.

They love those bugs

hunting for bugs

I am certain it is one of the pair that nest on the other side of the septic bed, in the forest.
 I'm not sure how it met its demise. The cats were in, the hawk is always out. Poor Batman, not a robin, was taken out, I think, by a blue jay or hawk. There are many predators about.

Eastern have yellow highlights,
the western are red!

I feel badly. I'm not really sure what to do with it. In the meantime, I've taken photos to celebrate its beauty, and it's in the freezer. I had a friend who taught courses and had all sorts of road kill in her freezer!

The last time I found a critter, it was a dead downy woodpecker. I similarly saved it, to show to grandkids Jofee and Isabelle. Papa was a bit grossed out, but I am an amateur naturalist, and I like looking closely at creatures we normally cannot touch. Mommy was cool! She's used to me taking bug photos and capturing creatures!

The Norther Flickers in the east have yellow. The ones in the west have red highlights.

From uCornell's Lab:
Northern Flickers are browner than Red-bellied Woodpeckers, which have a black-and-white barred back and bright red crown. The Gilded Flicker of southern Arizona looks like a mix between yellow-shafted and red-shafted Northern Flickers: a plain brown crown and gray face paired with yellow shafts to the flight feathers.


For my blog friends, here are my close-up photos.