Northern flicker at birdbath

Photo by Chris Bosak
A northern flicker sips from a birdbath in New England, fall 2025.

I looked out and saw that the water in the birdbath was a solid block of ice. I poured in enough warm water that the ice broke free, so I tossed the frozen block onto the ground and filled the bath with warm water. Within 10 minutes, a northern flicker arrived and took a few sips. What a design on this bird.