Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The Pileated Woodpeckers....

Slowing down for a red light I saw a Pileated Woodpecker on an Ash tree beside the road. It was only about twenty feet from me across the right lane of traffic. I stopped about thirty or forty feet behind the cars in front of me so I was parallel with the Woodpecker. A second one soon joined the first. They were about five feet off the ground busily pecking into the tree with their long beaks. The wood chips flew and they seemed totally oblivious to the car traffic passing less than ten feet from their perch.
Keeping an eye on the red light ahead and on my rear view mirror I tried to motion to the van driver behind me to look to his right. Either I failed, or, he wasn't a bird watcher because he zoomed around me to occupy the space between me and the car ahead. As I moved ahead as the light went green the two woodpeckers were still pecking at the tree. It was my first close sighting of Pileated Woodpeckers.

1 comment:

Susan Berke said...

I loved this! We had one in our old backyard and he just ripped apart the wood beams on the ground. Could not believe how much damage they could do in a short time. I am in Washington DC and Marv had to fly to CA for a nieces funeral. Very sad. She had lots of issues.
Love to see your favortie subject. It is so fun to see little ones. All Marv and I do is sit and laugh at all their mannerisms. I do not remember doing that with our own. I guess we were too busy. Enjoy. they change so very quickly, which i did not realize as a mother. Sue