A few days ago I opened the shades and was startled by a Red-bellied Woodpecker cruising inches above our roof and over my window. He coasted across the boulevard into a birch tree. That’s when I noticed two, large, perfectly round holes in the front of one of the the trunks. How exciting, a woodpecker nesting cavity! I’d never seen one before:
I wish my photos were better, but I was shooting across the boulevard, and all my neighbors were outside so I was trying not to look like a stalker.
When I first peeked at the holes through binoculars, there was nothing to see. But I grabbed my camera and waited patiently for about 10 minutes and finally Junior stuck his head out for some fresh air. I would too. It was 88 degrees so I’m sure that tree trunk felt like an oven:
The parents were both on foraging duty. Whenever they returned, the babies would start peeping. It was so loud I could hear it across the boulevard even with buses and cars whizzing by in both directions:
2 comments
Hi Em,
What a privilege you have—to be able to see nesting woodpeckers.
I’m not sure if I saw a woodpecker or not yesterday in our yard. He looked like the birds in your photos. First he was at one of the hanging feeders and then he flew to one of our wren houses. He clung to the side of the house for a while, then went on the roof of it and soon flew away. Was cool to see him, even for a short time.
Are you “glued” to your front yard or window, watching the woodpecker tree?
Have a Happy Birthday. Not too nice of a day, but maybe it will improve!
ear
I’ll take the rain. It means we don’t have to water the garden! I’m sure you saw the same kind of woodpecker in your yard. At my feeders they are quite fond of peanuts and dried fruit.
Comments are closed.