A pileated woodpecker
Behind my office is a Southern red oak in decline. Limbs have been trimmed and the top has already broken, although we're not inclined to take it down just yet.
My colleague pointed out to me this morning that a pileated woodpecker was busily working a cavity high up on the trunk - what a great sight. This is a blurry image from early morning (cropped, of course!).
It's probably a feeding cavity based on my bit of research, although I'm hardly an expert on bird behavior. Not the time of the year for a nesting cavity, certainly, and pileated woodpeckers forage in dead and dying trees in search of a favorite prey item, carpenter ants, according to All About Birds, Cornell Ornithology Lab's online field guide site.
Or perhaps it's foraging for some sort of other insect larvae, too.
My colleague pointed out to me this morning that a pileated woodpecker was busily working a cavity high up on the trunk - what a great sight. This is a blurry image from early morning (cropped, of course!).
It's probably a feeding cavity based on my bit of research, although I'm hardly an expert on bird behavior. Not the time of the year for a nesting cavity, certainly, and pileated woodpeckers forage in dead and dying trees in search of a favorite prey item, carpenter ants, according to All About Birds, Cornell Ornithology Lab's online field guide site.
Or perhaps it's foraging for some sort of other insect larvae, too.
Love seeing the Pileated Woodpeckers, there is a pair around here that I see more often in the winter. Gorgeous birds.
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought this house the seller told me to look out for the 747 of the woodpecker world~Back then that was the biggest jet! I see them occasionally and think they are marvelous!
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