[mou] Downy Woodpeckers React to Cats

[alyssa]

    I saw something interesting today. On one of my nature walks, I saw and heard two Downy Woodpeckers repeating their call note very loudly and rapidly. Then I saw a cat on the ground right below them, not even aware of all the comotion it was causing. The woodpeckers were fluttering all around the cat and "glared" at it, although I never saw them dive-bomb the cat. I thought this was interesting because I read somewhere that birds respond quickly to raptors, but not so much to cats. I wonder if they were protecting their nest, or did they just want that cat out of their territory?
    A few other birds around the area...
~ Black-crowned Night Heron and Green Heron 
~ E. Wood Pewee
~ Swainson's Thrush singing for 4 days
~ Many Mallard, Goose, and Wood Duck offspring
But no warblers, I'm afraid, except for a redstart yesterday. Good birding to all!

Alyssa DeRubeis
Golden Valley
tiger150 at comcast.net 
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