The Bonus Woodlet

Hugh messaged me at work today to say that there was a woodlet in the yucca that's in front of the office window. The actual message, in his excitement, was:

11:11 AM hugh: baby wioody!!!!!
11:12 AM grettin 1000s of photos

We have been waiting and waiting for Woodie & Woodina's woodlets to emerge from their tree, and I was heartbroken not to be there. But then Hugh sent a photo of the baby on the yucca:

and I wrote back to Hugh to say, I don't think juvenile golden-fronted woodpeckers have a red cap. Then I looked at it some more, and wondered what those stripes are on its face; our woodpeckers don't have those. So we realized that this is not one of the woodlets, but a surprise bonus woodlet instead! I did some quick online research and found two possibilities to check in the bird books when I get home: he may be a Downy or a Ladder-backed Woodpecker. Hugh thinks the latter because the stripes are more like, and I think the latter because they are spotty on front as is this guy. We are intrigued! We've not seen an adult of these guys in the area; the golden-fronted are the only ones I've seen at all.

Hugh reported that it seemed uncertain of its flying abilities and was skulking under the eaves of the yucca. I just checked in with him (it's 6pm now) and it is now gone; he didn't see it leave. I hope that we will see this bird again! He must have been born nearby; having just fledged, he couldn't have been just passing through.

Woodpeckers are altricial. From Wikipedia:
In bird and mammal biology, altricial species, or altrices, are those whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile, have closed eyes, lack hair or down, and must be cared for by the adults. Altricial young are born helpless and require care for a comparatively long time. Among birds, these include, for example, herons, hawks, woodpeckers, owls and most passerines.