Northern Flicker male at nest, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, IdahoNorthern Flicker male at nest – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/320, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

I’ve been missing southwestern Montana and Clark County, Idaho a lot lately but the weather hasn’t been cooperating for a trip up north. I think that I have been missing the birds I usually see there including sapsuckers, nuthatches and woodpeckers busy making new nesting cavities or taking over an old one for their broods this season.

One year and one day ago I photographed my favorite nesting tree in the Targhee National Forest and this Northern Flicker nesting cavity.

Male Northern Flicker on an aspen, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, IdahoMale Northern Flicker on an aspen – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

It wasn’t an easy nesting tree to photograph because of the lighting situation, if you were there too early the trees to the east put the nesting tree in the shade and by the time the light did light up the aspen there was only a little while before the sun was high and the light became contrasty and the shadows were too dark.

But even with those conditions it was incredible to observe and photograph the flicker creating the nesting cavity, pushing wood chips out of the opening with its bill, flying too and from and watching it look around at its world.

Male Northern Flicker perched on a conifer in the Targhee National Forest, Clark County, IdahoMale Northern Flicker perched on a conifer – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 800, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light

This Northern Flicker usually called right before it flew in which gave me time to get ready for its appearance.

I didn’t know that when I photographed this Northern Flicker one day and one year ago that it would be the last time I’d see the tree standing or the last time I’d photograph this flicker, the sapsuckers, nuthatches, bluebirds and wrens that made this tree their nurseries. I’m glad I had the opportunity to spend one and a half nesting seasons photographing the birds there.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Northern Flicker photos plus facts and information about this species.

The nesting tree was chopped down by someone after I took these images. I will always be sad about that.