Some of you may remember about the hawk that was here close to the house about a month ago. We believe the hawk is still in the area, and has found a potential mate: there are two hawks practicing soaring together who my parents see quite often. We wonder where they may end up nesting.
But the excitement on Thursday happened when my dad and I were out on the deck for a little while, and he heard the sound of a woodpecker pecking at a knotty area in a very big oak tree at the back of our yard. Now, kitties, this was no ordinary red headed, or downy, or even hairy, woodpecker. No sirrreee. This was a Pileated Woodpecker (pronounced like Pie). These guys are over 16 inches tall! Here he is pecking away at the knot (you can see where he has pecked away the bark):
And here he is from the side, closer up. These are the best pictures Dad could get with the camera zoom because the tree is far back.
But even more amazing is that there was a female in the front yard too, and they were calling to each other over the house with a loud "wuck" note like a bugle. She also came to the back and they hopscotched their way north through the trees between the houses.
And here he is from the side, closer up. These are the best pictures Dad could get with the camera zoom because the tree is far back.
But even more amazing is that there was a female in the front yard too, and they were calling to each other over the house with a loud "wuck" note like a bugle. She also came to the back and they hopscotched their way north through the trees between the houses.Mom missed it all because she was at work. So this was a special MANly discovery that I helped my Dad with by wanting to be on the deck.
Happy Sunday!!
That is really special. We understand why Dad was so excited. That bird is gorgeous. Our Mom has seen one or two of those woodpeckers. We think the pictures are good. Hope you get to see him again.
ReplyDeleteWow! That is really cool!! We love watching the birdies too and our mom has a bird book and binoculars that she uses to help us identify all the different birds that come by. But we've never seen a Pileated Woodpecker!!
ReplyDeleteWe've never seen a birdie as cool as that one! The coolest birdie I've seen is a Flicker...
ReplyDeleteLoved the pics!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday to y'all. xxxxxxxx
Äiti is really excited about this as she loves watching stinky birds but for different reasons to us! Personally I think it looks very tasty.
ReplyDeleteWe are most envious. That is a spectacular woodpecker!!! Do you think you might have babies?
ReplyDeleteWay cool! You got to watch him too?
ReplyDeleteDude!! You are top mancat for seeing that monster-huge bird first!! I bet they make a lot of noise!! We also have several kinds of woodpecker birds here so we know that they can belt out their calls! We've never seen one like this though!! We have really pretty black and white ones that also have red on them, but we get another kind that is all yellow and green with red and likes to eat ants from the ground...do you have that one? Birds are cool, but Mom strictly forbids us from even THINKING about seeing them as food. Don't they taste like chicken? Chicken is good!! But chickens are much bigger...maybe that is what makes chickens taste good...maybe those small birds have no taste to them...yeah, that's probably what it is. Tasteless. OK. Chicken only. Thanks for sharing your fab pics!! Purrs, Lautrec, Tiny and DawgWood
ReplyDeleteThat is nice tasty morsel you an Dad have in the back yard. Maybe you'll see baby birdies too, yum yum.
ReplyDeletexxx Kassey
I love the hair style of that bird..Pretty sharp look : )
ReplyDeleteOur Mumsy is a birdwatcher. We have different kinds of woodpeckers that come to our feeders and suet blocks but never a Pileated. Mumsy would love to see one of them in person. You two were very lucky not only to see some but get pictures of them. Hugs and nose kisses
ReplyDeleteI soooo love birds and love that you were able to get such a good photo of the woodpecker. I love to feed the birds and squirrels
ReplyDeleteThat's a good looking bird! We don't have any birdies around here like that. We like to watch the birdies too and our daddy keeps the feeders full to attrack finches, juncos, chickadees and there's peanuts out for the jays. Our mommy even watches the birdies with us some times too.
ReplyDeleteWOW, that's quite a beautiful birdie! We have some woodpeckers here...but none quite like that!
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting-looking bird! Not to mention huge - it sounds like it's as big as I am!
ReplyDeleteHow cool to see such a neat fevver! We din't see many woodypeckers this weekend.
ReplyDeleteWow, lots of burdees! I like them. Yay! :)
ReplyDeleteLook at that red helmet!
ReplyDeleteDon't you feel so tickled that you have a Pileated Woodpecker and wife there in residence? Mommy and I live in an extremely wooded area so we have them too. The make us glad every time we see them. I could never approach one if I were an outside girl. I think they're bigger than I am, MOL.
ReplyDeleteMum feeds the birds outside the window and we get lots of different ones, but we have never seen a big woodpecker like that.It is very exciting to get photos of it.
ReplyDeleteHow fantastic!!! What good pictures too :-)
ReplyDeleteWowie that is some woodpecker!
ReplyDeletepurrin
xoxox