I just happened on this Downy Woodpecker while walking to another place. I used a short boardwalk from a parking lot to get to the trail I wanted to take. But in the underbrush around the boardwalk were a host of birds darting about, most of them warblers - see Monday post, but there were others, a wren, a robin, some sparrows and then just beside me this woodpecker. He was quite still for just a second and I am glad as I was hand holding my camera and standing on a platform that was not completely still. Very pleased with this shot and the best bird photo for me of the day. The Downy is very similar to the slightly larger Hairy Woodpecker but the relative size of the bill is the easiest way to distinguish between them the Downy is visibly shorter than the Hairy. The tuft of red marks this one as a male.
The more expected position of the woodpecker
This is the best image of the Downy I have taken.