Nature’s Alarm Clock

This is a Red-Breasted Sapsucker.

I am currently looking for recipes featuring this pretty bird. It has decided that 6:05 is a fantastic time to do this:

It hammers on the aluminum gate about twenty feet outside our bedroom window. At first I thought it was knocking bugs loose that had nested in the crevices. Nope. It just clings to the fence post and bangs it’s beak to make noise. It starts shortly after 6 and goes at it off and on until about noon.

Normally I’m a nature lover, but I sleep until 7AM because I’m usually up until at least 11PM. I think I’d really enjoy this bit of nature in a soup, or grilled, or fried, or….