Kimberly Beck 
Oil
14 x 11
Handmade Frame
 
"This small but feisty Ladderback is a member of the woodpecker family is named for the horizontal stripes on his back. One spring morning when the light rose early in the sky, I wastreated to a clear view of a male ladder back (note the red on the top of his head)feeding on the little bugs that live on the dried yucca bloom. The yucca plant islike a “grocery store” of food for many desert species. It provides nectar forhummingbirds, fruit, and insects for birds eat only bugs. Its seeds also become food after distribution by rodents. I was struck by the beautiful color combination of the golden yucca seed pods which contrast the bold pattern of the small woodpecker."