Yellow Shafted Flicker near Lumsden, Saskatchewan

The Northern Flicker sat on a post in the Qu'Appelle Valley along Seven Bridges Road in Saskatchewan, unflinchingly watching me as I pulled over the shoulder, slowly wound down the window and took its picture.

When another car approached, this Flicker (a fairly large woodpecker) turned and rose in flight with a yellow flash of its wings, only a hint of which is shown here along the fine yellow edges of this bird's wing and tail.

Her wings and tail, I should say. The distinguishing feature between males and females in these Flickers (Yellow Shafted, from my books) is the black moustache males sport, which is absent here.

Northern Flicker, wind ruffling the feathers
of her spotted breast.    © SB

What is this? A Northern Flicker (Yellow Shafted Flicker) 

Location: Along Seven Bridges Road, north of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Photo date: August 10, 2012.  

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