Hey all. Santa may be coming down the chimney but Woody is coming through the wall. Yep. We finished patching all the smaller holes a few weeks ago and yesterday I heard an odd knocking.
It wasn't the loud pecking that alerts us to a pecker, it was different and I thought Junior was attacking the adults. Nope. Outside investigation revealed a very large bird with yellow beneath the wings. ????? It's the Flicker. 
Inside investigation showed a hole about 7" long and 4" high.
Flickers are also protected by the Migratory Bird Act and are basically a type of woodpecker. They are distinguished by the yellow underside of their wings as you watch them fly away from tearing your house to shreds. Big bird. I continued to scare and interrupt his excavating all afternoon which obviously upset him since he hasn't returned today. We have an aluminum piece attached inside the attic and caulked around that to prevent rain and snow from running behind the siding. The siding will be replaced on the house this spring so it will be corrected then. We were planning on cedar lap siding again, but after this year, James Hardie cement siding may be a better choice. We've co-existed with many pecker varieties and fed them for 25 years, but they obviously are needing more protected roosts. Not sure what to do if he comes back but I'm also concerned that he is elsewhere starting a new hole. He wasn't finished with this one!
Woody Woodpecker his very self was here again and is creating a cavity for his home as you can see here. Problem is, they usually pick dead trees but this tree is living - so far!
Well, I have to prepare palachinkas (cottage cheese filled crepes), smelts, pierogis, with a few purchased side dishes for Christmas Eve so I don't have time for birdwatching.
I haven't really been browsing for freebies but Pineberry Lane's caught my eye on Nan's blog. Love it. For some reason, my reader's list missed quite a few recent posts so I need to go back and review your blogs. I'm listing a few freebies that were featured by stitchers - just in case you missed them or haven't had time to check them out.
Pineberry Lane's download on PatternMart (you need to register)
can be found HERE.
Another nice Christmas Free is from Woolen Sails and can be found HERE.
Merry Primitive Christmas from The Primitive Hare can be found HERE.
Another of her wonderful free charts is on her blog HERE.
And scroll down Viola's lovely blog to see several sweets HERE.
DMC's Mistletoe Sampler is a little more elaborate HERE.
Tokens and Trifles has lots of smalls and I picked the Quaker Stocking HERE.
Their sewing cards are so lovely and they offer many free charts for them HERE, you just click on the shape.
That's the end because I'm flashing and need to go stand outside in the cold rain.
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I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!
15 comments:
You and I seem to be living parallel lives!! We have a pesky woodpecker that keeps pecking away at the wood around one of our dormer windows. We have James Hardie siding on our house, but that darn thing has found the only wood we have and has been at it forever. We've had the hole repaired a couple of times, but he/she just keeps coming back and starting a new one. Don't know what to do about this situation.... oh, and did I mention that we have woods behind our house. 8,000 trees back there.... Why my house???
I, too, have many flashes each day, and have been known to have the a/c on in my car when it's 45 degrees outside. Oy....
Thanks for the links to the freebies -- I've stitched up Pineberry Lane's Joy freebie already and just love it!
Have a very Merry Christmas!!
I love the woodpecker pics,
Thank you for all the links, I love some of these.
So sad about your house. How is it a bird can do so much damage?! We have a flicker here, but so far, he stays in the trees.
Thanks for the freebies.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thanks for all the links!
I know they are a nuisance, but the birds are beautiful. The hole, though? I would freak!
What a shame about your house Marly. Do you think if you called the local county agent that he would be able to give you some ideas on how to keep the peckers away? Thank you for sharing the freebies. I knew about some of them but now all. I hope that you & your family have a wonderful Christmas! Blessings, Shirlee
I love that bird, but trying to get into your house is a bit over the top LOL, causing damage on your beautiful house!
You are such a wealth of information Marly, thank you for the links!
Happy Christmas
Oh, how can such a beautiful bird be so destructive!! I do hope your new siding does the trick next year for you, Marly. I've heard very good things about the Hardie products...
Thanks for all the freebie links--I'm always amazed at how generous designers are with their talents... Will be bookmarking a few for future stitching.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas (at least our rain is supposed to stop by then!!)...
Oh dear on the birds pecking holes in your house. :( Not good! What is cement siding?? Sounds heavy. lol! Have fun with all the Christmas cooking! And have a lovely Christmas! Thanks for the freebie links too!
Whoa, those birds are pretty but pretty scary too the damage they can do to a house! yikes. I hope the pesky ones don't come back and bother your house anymore.
I drooled when you mentioned your Christmas Eve dinner - them's right up my alley. We reverse in that our Christmas Eve dinner is the biggy and the Christmas one is small (just us) so we're having perogies!
Thanks for all the links. I will have to come back and check them all out later.
Marly ~
I bet you have a few choice words for those d#@* birds!
Thanks for the links to the freebies. I hope to put down my hook and stitch a bit in the new year.
Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.
Hugs :)
Lauren
P.S. I am so sick of those hot flashes!!! It's been going on for way too many years.
The birds even when they are distructives, are so beautiful! Nice pics. Thanks a lot for the free-links, and have a wonderful winter wonderland!
Wow, this is awful. I wonder why they chose your house. Maybe you could get something that makes an alert sound or something when they fly to the house. I know they make them for ground animals when you have chickens and such. I feel so badly for you.
I hope you still have a
Merry Christmas,
Susan
Hi
Wow!!! I just love your trees and Santas. What a lovely and creative job. On your mantel you have a number of cross stitched Santas would you mind telling me where the patterns are from. Especially the Santa inside the basket I really have fallen in love with him. Thank you and once again WOW!! I don't have blog could you please email me or post it on your blog I come back frequently and drool.
irenesbeagles@gmail.com
Marly, Thanks so much for all the freebie links. I stitched the Merry Primitive Christmas the other night along with your freebie pear. I need to finish them both into something and then will post on my blog. Merry Christmas. ~Ann
Thanks for the links! :)
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