Woody visited today

Tired of Waiting · 05-06-2015, 09:23 AM

Ever try and focus a camera on a flittering wood pecker? Not easy, This guy visited the house today.

Here he is jumping around the tree out front.

ToW

Airedale1 · 05-06-2015, 11:43 AM

Nice capture! Pileated Woodpecker

DRH · 05-06-2015, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airedale1

Nice capture! Pileated Woodpecker

Airedale1 is right, TOW, it's a pileated woodpecker. Unfortunately, although they are very pretty and your photos are good, it's never good to see them pecking on a tree on your property. They are remarkably good at hearing/smelling carpenter ants inside a tree, and they are able to peck huge holes in the tree to get to the bugs.

Usually when you see a pileated woodpecker pecking on a tree it's a definite sign that the tree is not healthy. And the damage they can do to a tree getting at the bugs often represents a death knell for the tree.

If you've ever seen a tree with huge holes poked in it (I've seen some that were 4" high and 6" to 8" wide!), they've most likely been caused by a pileated woodpecker which I believe is the largest woodpecker we have here in NH. Over the years, we've had to have several trees removed after pileated woodpeckers have gone after ants in them.

Tired of Waiting · 05-07-2015, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DRH

Over the years, we've had to have several trees removed after pileated woodpeckers have gone after ants in them.

Here is a tree on the edge of our property:

Added a hat for better size perspective of tree/damage:

The tree is scheduled to come down this spring.

ToW

DRH · 05-07-2015, 11:34 AM

ToW - yep, those are perfect examples of the work of a Pileated Woodpecker. Interestingly, you can see the smaller "pilot holes" he pecked while searching for the ant colony, and then when he found it he really went to work! You're smart to have that tree removed.

SIKSUKR · 05-07-2015, 01:42 PM

This was near my ski house in Franconia.

Misha888 · 05-08-2015, 07:56 AM

let's make it a parking lot. Silly.

05-06-2015, 09:23 AM	#1
Tired of Waiting Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 519 Thanks: 111 Thanked 259 Times in 107 Posts	Woody visited today Ever try and focus a camera on a flittering wood pecker? Not easy, This guy visited the house today. Here he is jumping around the tree out front. ToW

05-06-2015, 11:43 AM	#2
Airedale1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Laconia Posts: 595 Thanks: 557 Thanked 1,569 Times in 274 Posts	Nice capture! Pileated Woodpecker __________________ "The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." Nelson Henderson (1865-1943)

05-07-2015, 11:34 AM	#5
DRH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Meredith, NH Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,201 Thanked 675 Times in 178 Posts	Exactly! ToW - yep, those are perfect examples of the work of a Pileated Woodpecker. Interestingly, you can see the smaller "pilot holes" he pecked while searching for the ant colony, and then when he found it he really went to work! You're smart to have that tree removed. __________________ DRH

05-07-2015, 01:42 PM	#6
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	Making mulch This was near my ski house in Franconia. Attached Images __________________ SIKSUKR

05-08-2015, 07:56 AM	#7
Misha888 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 340 Thanks: 280 Thanked 90 Times in 62 Posts	Cut down all the tres . . . let's make it a parking lot. Silly. __________________ ☮ _/♥\_ & (✿ˆ◡ˆ✿)

The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Tired of Waiting For This Useful Post:
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