Birds and Cats: Hairy Woodpeckers Are Much Bigger Than Downey's - Someone's Missing Their Cat

Whenever we spot a woodpecker in the backyard, it looks a lot like this one.  The bird books identify this as either a Downey or a hairy woodpecker.  We've decided, in the past, it's been a Downey, because the beak was short.

Well, the other day this giant woodpecker was in the back.  After some uncertainty, we finally figured out it was a Hairy woodpecker.  There is just no mistaking one from the other because of the size.  Of course, you can't always be sure how big a bird is off in the distance.  But clearly this one was significantly larger than the other ones we've seen.  And if you look closely the beak is almost as long as the rest of his head.

The magpies that have been upturning leaves in the yard as the snow melts, and hop about the branches in the trees were there too.  And while they watched the woodpecker, they kept a safe social distance for the 15 minutes or so the woodpecker was there.

Here's a Downey that visited last September.  He's much closer to me than the Hairy, and significantly smaller.  (The book says Downey's are about 6 inches and Hairy's are about 9 inches)

I saw this ad the other day in the newspaper.  It's just another ad for a lost cat.  Until you see the date.  Five years is a long time.

I did try to call to find out the story but I got a recording saying the person wasn't accepting calls at this time.