{"id":23241,"date":"2015-05-05T03:00:07","date_gmt":"2015-05-05T09:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=23241"},"modified":"2025-05-22T10:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T15:50:07","slug":"a-flicker-letting-the-chips-fall-where-they-may","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/05\/05\/a-flicker-letting-the-chips-fall-where-they-may\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Flicker Letting The Chips Fall Where They May"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"NorthernNorthern Flicker exiting the nest cavity<\/span><\/p>\n

Sunday<\/a><\/span> and Monday<\/a><\/span> I wrote that I had spent time at the Magical Sapsucker Tree and that the Northern Flicker was working on enlarging the old sapsucker hole so I thought I would share a few images of the male Northern Flicker I photographed yesterday. The flicker was inside the cavity when I got to the stand of aspens where the nest was and within a few seconds he left the tree. This is him emerging from the cavity.<\/p>\n

\"NorthernNorthern Flicker male at the nesting cavity<\/span><\/p>\n

And here he is arriving back at the nesting cavity, this is the same nesting cavity I photographed the Williamson’s Sapsuckers at last year. Until yesterday morning the flicker had been sort of shy but that might be because the Mountain Bluebirds dive bomb it when it appears. Yesterday he didn’t let them deter him or his excavation so I got great views and images of him.<\/p>\n

\"CloseClose up of a male Northern Flicker and Aspen nesting tree<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of the images I took of the Northern Flicker were using FX (full frame) mode without my teleconverter because I was hoping to catch him flying off but the only times I had that opportunity was before I removed my TC and switched to FX mode so I clipped the flicker’s head off. Maybe I will get another chance for flight shots of this handsome woodpecker. The detail in this 36.1 megapixel full frame file with the teleconverter on is outstanding and I can see that even on my lap top. I can’t wait to see the file on my larger monitor.<\/p>\n

\"NorthernThe Northern Flicker sending wood chips flying<\/span><\/p>\n

And the title of this post came from the activity shown in this image. I could hear the Northern Flicker excavating inside the nesting cavity and when he would stop he would appear at the entrance with a bill full of shavings and forcefully eject them from the cavity. The wood chips would go flying in all directions and then he would go back and get more to throw out.<\/p>\n

I hated to leave the tree but my stomach was rumbling and the light was getting high. I wish the morning light lasted all day long.<\/p>\n

I am having an exceptional time photographing the birds in and around what I call the Magical Sapsucker Tree. I am not sure I want to go home until all the nesting, brooding and chick rearing is done. I’m gobsmacked by the flurry of activity there.<\/p>\n

Life. Is. Good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Northern Flicker photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I could hear the Northern Flicker excavating inside the nesting cavity and when he would stop he would appear with a bill full of shavings and forcefully eject them from the cavity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":145981,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2578,2244,2255,2261],"tags":[4004,1919,4021,8974,2257,3706,5136,3705,4931,5370,4062,4075,473,2580,2579,3704,6576,7791,4427,4777,2146],"class_list":["post-23241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-clark-county","category-idaho","category-northern-flicker","category-targhee-national-forest","tag-adult","tag-aspen","tag-bird-photography","tag-chips","tag-colaptes-auratus","tag-excavating","tag-excavation","tag-flicker","tag-flickers","tag-forest","tag-male","tag-nest","tag-nesting-behavior-2","tag-nesting-cavity","tag-nesting-tree","tag-northern-flicker","tag-populus-tremuloides","tag-quaking-aspen","tag-tree","tag-woodpecker","tag-woodpeckers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-tree-mia-mcpherson-8145.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-62R","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":69273,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/05\/01\/nesting-northern-flickers-provide-nests-for-other-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":23241,"position":0},"title":"Nesting Northern Flickers Provide Nests For Other Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By excavating their own nests Northern Flickers provide nests for other woodland birds that can't excavate nesting cavities on their own and those nests can be used over and over again. Nature is brilliant.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Northern Flicker perched outside of his nest, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, Idaho","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-forest-mia-mcpherson-8171.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-forest-mia-mcpherson-8171.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-forest-mia-mcpherson-8171.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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McPherson","date":"May 5, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed my favorite nesting tree in the Targhee National Forest and this Northern Flicker nesting cavity.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Flicker male at nest, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, Idaho","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nest-mia-mcpherson-8290.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nest-mia-mcpherson-8290.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nest-mia-mcpherson-8290.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-mia-mcpherson-montana-5876.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-mia-mcpherson-montana-5876.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-mia-mcpherson-montana-5876.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-flicker-mia-mcpherson-montana-5876.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102141,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/04\/male-northern-flicker-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":23241,"position":4},"title":"Male Northern Flicker Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I am sharing a few male Northern Flicker images that I took seven years ago at the edge of a mountain forest in the Targhee National Forest in Idaho.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Northern Flicker peeking out of his nesting cavity, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, Idaho","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-cavity-mia-mcpherson-8575.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-cavity-mia-mcpherson-8575.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-cavity-mia-mcpherson-8575.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/northern-flicker-male-nesting-cavity-mia-mcpherson-8575.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":23227,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/05\/04\/black-and-blue-all-over-with-just-a-splash-of-red\/","url_meta":{"origin":23241,"position":5},"title":"Black and Blue All Over With Just a Splash of Red","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Well, it was another fun morning at the Magical Sapsucker Tree and today the cast was joined by a pair of Mountain Bluebirds who seem dead set on taking over the Northern Flicker cavity.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Mountain Bluebird at a Northern Flicker nesting cavity, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, 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