When I pulled into a local gas station the other day, I noticed the victim of a collision lying near the entrance.

It was easy to identify the species with a quick glance at the distinctive coloration of its feathers—a tawny brown, barred with black across the back and wings, the outer feathers of the wings with their bright yellow shafts, the peach-tan feathers and black patch on the cheeks and throat, the cottonball tuft of white fluff just above the tail and a gray crown atop the unmistakable band of crimson red on the nape—a Northern flicker.

This woodpecker’s vibrant and interesting feather pattern isn’t limited to its upper side. The belly is covered in light tan to white feathers pocked with black spots and additional yellow coloration of the tail and wings.

Unfortunately, this poor fella, a male yellow-shafted (the red-shafted western form of this bird has pinkish-red coloration in the tail and wing feathers) may have fallen to his fate while on a mission to nab an insect. Flickers are fond of ground feeding and this one most likely met up with some moving metal on four wheels instead.

As regrettable as that is, I see such sad outcomes as opportunities to study via camera and close observation. If the remains of the animal are mostly intact, I share the images through this column and provide others the chance to learn along with me.

Grabbing a plastic bag from my car’s trunk and garnering a few glances from others fueling their vehicles, I gathered the flicker’s body up and headed home. Just another nutty naturalist on the loose!

There is a sheltered grove-like area in my yard, where I usually place the animal’s body when a photo exploration is over. The first time, I was surprised to find the red-tailed hawk missing the next morning. The same thing happened with a deceased rabbit and a small rodent, leading to the realization that some local animal, possibly the fox that sometimes cries out on its nighttime travels here, takes the opportunity to turn the dead animal’s body into its own sustenance.

Perhaps it’s time to perch a trail camera nearby in order to spy on the critters carousing out there while I’m catching up on some sleep. With the aid of such a device, we can all stay in the learning loop!