If anyone is interested, the persevering flicker couple ousted by starlings from their newly dug power pole hole in front of my house appear to have counter-ousted the starlings! Why, I didn't know that was possible. Maybe these two big woodpeckers were just more trouble than it was worth for the starlings. Now the flickers are busy flinging mouthfuls of junk sideways out of the hole. And peering peacefully out, no marauding starlings in sight. I was considering buying them their own box at someone's helpful suggestion but they seem to have domestic bliss now. Hope it isn't too soon to consider it settled.

The reason I had brought this up on Tweeters to begin with was the whole thing with the crows and hummingbird spectator sport that the flicker-starling competition had become. I thought I should share the good news since I started the story.

Alyssa
alyssasampson at attbi.com
Maple Leaf
Seattle