The rain put a damper on my ski plans today.  In fact, it put a damper on anything in the outdoors.  It came down like a summer rain storm until 3pm this afternoon.  The layer of water over the ice on the driveway made for a very slippery surface.  I didn't chance even going for a hike so the day was spent indoors.

Even though I was stuck inside, the birds provided some entertainment when I needed a break from my book.  The rain didn't stop them from visiting the backyard.  The usual feathered friends appeared; chickadees, bluejays, nuthatches, downy and hairy woodpeckers.  

A squirrel was living dangerously and dared to make its way to the tray feeder.  It must have known that the neighbor's cat was in the house.

The bluejays frequently visit that tray feeder.  I often see them flicking the seeds from side to side in search of the perfect one.  The seeds usually fall into the tray below, rather than on the ground.  Today, there were seeds on the snowbanks and seeds on the ground.  A very messy eater had been there.

As I stood in the window looking at the wasted seeds, a pileated woodpecker soared in and landed on the tray.  It proceeded to use its pointed beak to flick the seeds.  I saw the culprit in action.  

I've seen one on the decaying stump and one clinging upside down on a suet feeder but I've never seen one at the feeder in front of my window.  What a sight!  It stayed there for about five minutes, pecking at the sunflower seeds and the rolled grain that I had set out for the deer. 

Just before it got dark, the deer arrived for their daily visit.  It's a good thing that they don't mind eating off the ground.  They cleaned up everything that the woodpecker had strewn about.  I didn't leave the house but there was some great action in my backyard that I'm glad that I got to see!