The migration for certain birds has finally reached northern Minnesota. While waterfowl are finding the paths north blocked due to the lack of ice free water, now that a large amount of our snow has finally melted certain “early arrivals” are working their way through the area including Red-Shafted Flickers. These woodpeckers spend a lot of their time on the ground, but startle easily. This bird was near me, but flew up into this nearby tree. Twas a photographic challenge … a cloudy day with brown (the Flicker’s plumage) on a brown background (bare tree branches).

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