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Holly Starley's avatar

Also, that photo of the female tossing the mouthful of wood chips is stunning. I will keep returning to see her again. ♥️

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David E. Perry's avatar

Love this, Holly. And yes, she is a total boss!

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Holly Starley's avatar

Beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing. No flogged or flagging interest here. :)

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David E. Perry's avatar

Thank you.

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Notes On Useful Beauty's avatar

Pileated Woodpeckers are the best. After a 10 acre plot adjoining my property was logged on, a nesting pair of pileated woodpeckers moved into our woodlot, and have successfully nested and reproduced, as we seem to have more of them around now, with their chicken-like clucking and their determined hammering away at the trees. We hear them more than we see them. These photos you captured are a treasure!

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Julie Gabrielli's avatar

Marvelous photos! Thank you so much for sharing them here. I will never tire of bird posts. When we first moved into our house in Baltimore, I saw a Pileated gliding to a stop in a tree, and I was astounded by its size. It felt like a blessing or a welcome.

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David E. Perry's avatar

I think it no surprise that we humans have seen birds as messengers and omens since forever. The arrival of something so majestic and unexpected at the beginning of a momentous new life chapter has all the makings of a 'sign.' It makes perfect sense that it felt like a blessing and that you remember it to this day. Our hearts pay attention to magic.

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Cheryl Rutledge-Brennecke's avatar

head-banging meditation -- love that! Amazing photos as always! So impressed.

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David E. Perry's avatar

Thank you Cheryl.

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Carmine Hazelwood's avatar

I encounter these enormous prehistoric beauties fairly often…they do call attention to themselves, don’t they? I think the positioning of the nest is deliberate and of the utmost importance! When researching how to position a birdhouse I read that one should face the opening east or opposite prevailing winds (here north and west). Monarch butterflies roost on the east side of trees where their wings are warmed by the morning sun.

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David E. Perry's avatar

This! This right here is the sort of conversation one prays for when posting something like this up. I'm so grateful that you made the time to add to the picnic, Carmine. Thank you!

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carolyn's avatar

Absolutely wonderful photos David! Takes me back to their discovery when I lived on five acres of forested land in Enumclaw. Thank you.

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David E. Perry's avatar

Five Acres In Enumclaw sounds like the title of a wonderful book. ;-)

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Dave's avatar

A rare bird in the Chicagoland forest preserves but we do get a very welcome glimpse occasionally like last week 😎. Congratulations on your great shots.

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David E. Perry's avatar

Thanks, Dave.

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

What a handsome fellow! Thank you for your bird-brained wonder.

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David E. Perry's avatar

I'm always delighted to find a note from you. Been owing you one for a handful of days now in reply to your brilliant last chapter. Not in some tit-for-tat manner, but because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sometimes I read a thing and then need to let the tea steep for a few days before pouring. Till then... thanks for feeling comfortable enough to reference my bird-brained leanings. Makes me feel accepted.

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

I join your bird-brained ways and might even raise you one. I spent the better part of the weekend watching our four hens wander around the yard, clucking and cooing and running like wild banshees from tree to tree. Endless joy in those feather bombs. And re my memoir, never a need to reply... this Sunday I post the epilogue, which is really more of "the end" anyway. So let those two simmer together before you pour your tea. :)

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David E. Perry's avatar

Namasté

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Robert Mullins's avatar

When my son was 100 days old, we celebrated the Chinese tradition of honoring the milestone for the new child. On that day we were at our 5 acre piece near Shelton. When In the middle of us thanking the powers that be, a Pileated Woodpecker flew over our heads! We thought, THAT has to be a good sign!

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David E. Perry's avatar

Love this story, Bob. Love it. And, OH HELL YES, that just has to be a good sign! You are deep waters, my friend.

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NWtrout's avatar

Still waiting on a few to return to our back woods.

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David E. Perry's avatar

That immense back deck seems like the PERFECT place to get better acquainted, Johnny.

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Ann Wiggins's avatar

Fabulous series! Looking forward to the continuing story.

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Perry J. Greenbaum 🇨🇦 🦜's avatar

Both the male and the female are stunning in their appearance and larger than the woodpeckers near our house, here in urban Toronto.

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David E. Perry's avatar

Thank you for the kind note, Perry. As for size, yes, easily the largest woodpeckers in North America, unless you've got an Ivory-billed hiding out on your property... in which case, call me.

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Perry J. Greenbaum 🇨🇦 🦜's avatar

Will do after I get over my excitement should I ever encounter such a beauty.

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Owl Green's avatar

I love this glimpse into pileated woodpeckers' lives. Please share more -- My interest won't flag, ever. Also this post shows why it's so important for foresters and landowners to leave dead trees standing in the forests they steward, rather than "cleaning them up." It has been estimated that dead trees may support more species even than live ones. I'd be interested, next year, to hear whether anyone else has moved into this nest, as abandoned woodpecker holes are prized homes for various creatures. :)

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David E. Perry's avatar

I love everything about your note, Rebecca. YES YES to leaving dead trees standing and/or fallen. Immensely Important. and something I've observed again and again at close range. Like you, I'm interested to see who moves in next year and will be watching... Thank you for this gift.

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Kathy M.'s avatar

I love woodpeckers but never lucky enough to have seen a pileated woodpecker. I have only seen hairy woodpeckers where I live tapping on my live oak tree.

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David E. Perry's avatar

I love Hairy Woodpeckers, the way they always look a bit like they slept in their party clothes and just rolled out of bed. I see them far more often than pileateds, too.

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Jady Conroy's avatar

We are lucky to have a pair of these giant woodpeckers in the woods near our house. We don't see them often, but their bold voices give them away and we can sometimes catch a glimpse of them in flight.

Once, years ago, we were puzzled by an absolute explosion of wood chips flying up from the ground in our back yard... And we were thrilled to see our first Pileated vigorously applying himself to a rotting stump not far from our house!

Nature never ceases to delight me. Thank you, David, for educating us all and providing visual evidence!

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David E. Perry's avatar

You are most welcome, Jady. I appreciate your added confirmation of the elusive nature of these beautiful beings. It's a part of their mystery, I suppose. Makes them even more interesting.And wow, when they set their minds and chiseled bills to the task of carving wood... Mercy. thank you for the honor of your note.

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Lor's avatar

Oh, bravo! Excellent close up photos. You most definitely have patience to capture these images . You deserve a few moments, or days, to be ‘giddy’ with excitement. Soon baby woodpeckers poking their little heads out!

Since most of my yard is wooded, they love it here. I have never been able to get that close. Even with binoculars .

Isn’t it wonderful that nature in all its intricacies ,can bring such happiness and contentment to some of us. I often take a moment ,( no more than), to feel sorry for those who can’t imagine the possibility.

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David E. Perry's avatar

Thank you, Lor for such generous notes. And yes, yes, it is even beyond wonderful, some days, the gifts of nature and the gift of being curious.

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