Dig Those Pileated Woodpeckers!
jadel
say the top half of a pileated woodpecker in the middle of a mound of
debris. I slowed down and observed, to my considerable surprise, that
the bird was digging down through a stump that had been cut level to
the ground. It was literally excavating for grubs and really making
the rotted wood and dirt fly. It didn't care that I had stopped to
watch it. (it's a seldom traveled road, so no, I wasn't causing a
traffic nuisance.)
J. Del Col
bthache
of a jackpine tree in our backyard at the cottage and after it flew away, we
went to check its work. In less than 5 minutes, it had left a hole about 4"
deep, 2" wide and 5" long .... and there were 5" long splinters of wood all
over the ground. It must have gotten what it wanted because it never came
back to that spot.
I've noticed that when they are working like that, they don't really care if
you stop and watch them .... as long as you don't try to get too close.
--
Tammie in Ontario
North of Lake Superior
Cat Forum: http://laurieb971.ipbfree.com/index.php?act=idx
Bird Photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/thache
"jadel" <delc...@ab.edu> wrote in message
news:02bd4260-84c9-4736...@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
Patty Peeples
when they see humans.
Good for you!
Your friend in nature,
Patty
--
come and visit www.twoacrewood.net
"jadel" <delc...@ab.edu> wrote in message
news:02bd4260-84c9-4736...@l64g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
John Reber
> Dear Jadel....You are very lucky...they are so hard to see...Most fly away
> when they see humans.
> Good for you!
> Your friend in nature,
> Patty
>
This one kept pounding on my window every morning while I was visiting a
friend in upstate Pennsylvania:
http://photos.chesapeakeisle.org/main.php?g2_itemId=750
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
jadel
> Patty Peeples wrote:
> > Dear Jadel....You are very lucky...they are so hard to see...Most fly away
> > when they see humans.
> > Good for you!
> > Your friend in nature,
> > Patty
>
> This one kept pounding on my window every morning while I was visiting a
> friend in upstate Pennsylvania:
Many years ago shortly after my family had just moved into a brand
new house near Cleveland, Ohio, we were awakened by a tremendous
racket that sounded like someone was trying to rivet the gutters. It
was a pileated woodpecker trying out a new sounding board for his
territorial drumming. After a few days he stopped, but, man, was it
noisy for a while.
J. Del Col
Jan Owen
J. Del Col
*****************************************
Our Gilas and gildeds will do that, the gildeds, of course with greater
authority, based on size...
But I can only IMAGINE what a PILEATED would be like... That would FOR
ALMOST CERTAIN have me diving for cover, or under a bed, and trying to claim
Post Vietnam Stress Syndrome!!! Heheheh!!!
Thanks for that memory...
I grew up in north-central West Virginia, on the edge of Fairmont, and was
quite interested in birds in those days (my interest caused my mother to
become an avid birder, but originally, it was just to answer all my
QUESTIONS)... But while we had a NUMBER of different woodpeckers there, I
don't have ANY recollection of ever seeing a pileated, either around
Fairmont and surrounds, or over in Grant County, around Petersburg wherer we
often spent some time in the summer, fishing, while staying a Harmon's,
Hott's (where the original Cabins, WV post office was), or Falls Cottages,
all within a few miles of Petersgburg...
My fondest dreams for the future are that, somehow, I might move back to WV
and spend my last years there, enjoying a simpler life, if such a thing
still exists today... Better get a MOVE on, though...
--
Jan Owen
To reach me directly, remove the Z, if one appears in my e-mail address...
Latitude: 33.6
Longitude: -112.3
http://community.webshots.com/user/janowen21
Ray
> Many years ago shortly after my family had just moved into a brand
> new house near Cleveland, Ohio, we were awakened by a tremendous
> racket that sounded like someone was trying to rivet the gutters. It
> was a pileated woodpecker trying out a new sounding board for his
> territorial drumming. After a few days he stopped, but, man, was it
> noisy for a while.
A friend down the street from me (also near Cleveland) has had
woodpeckers attack his gutters and aluminum siding at various times.
I'm not sure what kind, but based on what I see around here they're
probably either red-bellieds or downies. The first red-headed
woodpecker I ever saw was sitting on one of my gutters, but not
drumming on it.
--
Ray
(remove the Xs to reply)
Jerry Avins
I'll bet! Even a downy can frighten visitors.
Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
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