There were very few birds around today. The platform feeder was overturned again, but I saw no bear tracks this time. With up to 6 inches of snow forecast for the next 24 hours, any night-time visitors will leave obvious tracks.

Late in the day I took a walk to a nearby pond. Nothing going on down there either, but on the way back I heard and then saw a female Red-Bellied Woodpecker.

I imagine that this is the female from the pair that regularly visit our suet feeder. It was calling a lot and hanging around a particular dead tree with a few cavities. I'm hoping it was annoucing that it was going to nest there. I'll have to keep an eye on this tree...hopefully I'll have the chance to get some photos of chicks and feeding activity.

After the woodpecker flew off, I started back for home. I hadn't gone more than a few feet when I saw an American Mink running through the woods just a few feet from the road. We both stopped and looked at each other for a moment or two and then it turned around and ran back the way it came, still only a few feet from the road. I followed as quickly and quietly as I could, and managed to capture a couple of images before it disappeared. I haven't seen a mink around here in two years. I wonder if it's the same one?