It’s the time of the year when most of the fledgling birds are nearly grown and pretty much independent. Very shortly, those that migrate south for the winter will be leaving to take their first long adventure. Many of the residents, like this young red bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) will stay in the area and finish maturing here. By spring they will have struck out on their own to find their own territories and mates. I enjoy watching these young birds grow and develop, going from gangly, unsure youngsters to graceful, mature birds with plenty of confidence. I have watched this little one go from a fuzzy looking, begging fledgling that stuck to its parents faithfully to a young, fully feathered individual who is becoming more confident daily. She is still somewhat timid, which isn’t a bad thing, but each day she comes around, checking things out and learning about life in the woods.