A sad end for our Pileated Woodpecker....

For the past couple of days there has been a Pileated Woodpecker around the woods here. They used to be rare around here when I was a kid, but they are seen out back every now and then. For the past couple of days this one has been in the yard/woods and we have watched him and the Mrs. took pics on her phone. A few minute ago the wife looked and saw it dead in the road. I ran out and pulled it into the yard before it got flattened, the bottom half of the bird is gone... I snapped pics to post of this beautiful bird to post. And then the mate showed up within minutes drumming looking for her/him(?) So sad, A symbol of th e great north woods.

 

That is too bad. I believe there is an increase in the population. I've spoken to many local folks that are now seeing them more often. Probably due to an increase in beaver population flooding lowlands.

 

We have had and still do have a good population of them. They love to put big holes in trees!

 

Ugh. Too bad is right. You will see another move in sooner or later. They seem to be pretty tough birds. We have a couple that come through this area and work the trees. Then we don't see them for a while and then they come back. I'm not sure where they nest.

 

Sorry about the double pics on the post, I was in a hurry to get going to take my MIL out to dinner for her birthday, 83 yrs young, and they were waiting for me in the the truck.

 

What got the woodpecker? I've seen them around here, but not often. More often than not, I see large predatory birds.

 

That sucks!

 

It was hit by a car. They fly very low through here, only 5 or 6 feet off the ground a lot of the time.

 

I'll try to remember (good luck) to snap some pics of one of their trees that is still barely standing!

 

A hawk usually leaves a huge pile of feathers.

We had a loud owl right near the house for several weeks and several others off in the distance who-who-whoing all night long. Then it was quiet at night and I found one in the woods right behind the house.

 

We get tons of those guys around here, and they really do a number on your yard trees. I do a fair amount of pest bird shooting (magpies, crows, blackbirds), and the woodpeckers are nervous nellies, so they don't stick around long. Sure are nice looking too.

 

I hit a turkey today...bugger just didn't get high enough. Started out walking, then speeded up, finally ran and then flew.

Just clipped his underside with the corner of the roof. No feathers or flopping bird, but I bet that sucker is sore for sure!

 

We've only noticed them here about 5 or 6 years ago.
We heard them first before we saw them. They sound like a cross between a pterodactyl and a monkey.
Cool bird. They leave long holes in trees and a pile of chips at the base.
Too bad for that one. Looks like a fella.

 

Peckerheaded pirates... arrrgh. Dislike them almost as much as porkys (porcupines)...

They used to like landing on the corner of our barns and hammer away on the nice old grey corner boards... ... they maaaay have been re-located.

 

I remember the first two I ever saw. I was deer hunting in the big woods up north, probably around 1974 or so. I had to find a book and look them up to see what they were. I probably didn't see any for 10 years after that, And that was up in the deep Maine woods by Moosehead lake.

 

That's to bad he met his fate

 

The Moosehead clan live behind our house now...