(Pileated Woodpecker - photo by Neil Barker - December 2023)
A cool damp morning, searching for hidden food beneath the bark.
To find what you are seeking, you must go beneath the surface.
To go beneath the surface, you need to know what you’re seeking.
I took these photos on December 25, 2023. I saw this male Pileated Woodpecker about 20 feet up this tree. The male Pileated Woodpeckers have a red ‘moustache’ while the female has a black ‘moustache.’ It looks like he had just started chipping away at the bark on this tree.
I am always surprised by the size of Pileated Woodpeckers. After seeing so many Downy Woodpeckers and the occasional Hairy Woodpecker, I lose a sense of perspective when I see one of these Pileated Woodpeckers.
I spent about 5 minutes watching this fellow hammer and chip away at this tree. The way they do this is fascinating when you think about everything involved.
They select a tree, fly to a spot and cling to the bark using their claws. Their strong tail feathers act as a brace or stool for them to ‘sit.’ Next they begin hammering and chipping away. They will pause after a few hits and turn their head to inspect their work. Then, they begin chipping and hammering away some more. Their head reminds me of a pick-axe.
I am fortunate to have a few families of Pileated Woodpeckers nest in and around the conservation area I regularly visit. I can usually count on seeing at least one Pileated Woodpecker every few weeks. Often, I hear them before I see them. It is either that echoing ‘laugh’ call they are well-known for or the loud hammering on a tree.
This is a previous post about an encounter I had with a Pileated Woodpecker.
I think my native American stepfather called the Northern flickers, "Yellowhammers". I se both names interchangeably.
I've rarely seen one...what a magnificent bird. Downies are our familiar woodpeckers with an occasional Northern flicker which are also imposing birds.
I particularly liked your poem todsy, may all find what they are seeking!