Remember the Northern Flicker — the “Poke Him” guy? Well, he’s back to share his opinion on the wood shavings we humans are instructed to place in a Flicker House before we install it.  Clearly he didn’t read those instructions.

Last winter, Mr. Flicker would move between the Flicker House and the 2 (larger) Owl Houses installed at The Retreat.  It was anyone’s guess which house he would choose for the night.  I keep wood shavings in these houses as, according to the instructions, Flickers and Owls like wood shavings.   (The idea is to replicate the shavings in tree holes hollowed out by woodpeckers — a common abode for Flickers and Owls.)

At some point I noticed wood shavings on the ground outside the houses.  I thought the Flying Squirrels were the most likely suspect.  The video tells a different story …