Consolation Prize

I’ve become increasingly fascinated with the little falcon that I posted yesterday, the Merlin.  Its normal perch is on the drooping top of a Deodar Cedar about a block away, which means because of the distance I have to use the spotting scope to clearly identify any kind of bird. This in turn means the spotting scope now has a permanent location by the big living room windows.   This morning when I glanced out the living room window I saw a lump on the distant tree and I confirmed it in the spotting scope as the Merlin. That led me to a hurried exit from the house to get to a closer location for a photo. Finding the Merlin gone, I turned around to return to the house when I spotted this Red-breasted Sapsucker. Odd that I should consider this brightly colored sapsucker against the white birch trees a consolation prize.