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March 24, 2006
Up a Tree
While I was busy dusting my brain and pondering life last week, I encountered a couple of surprise visitors during my time away. The first one appeared early one morning:
This particular woodpecker is a pileated woodpecker, a large North American woodpecker having black and white plumage and a bright red crest. The common name comes from the Latin pileatus, which means "wearing a cap," referring to its crest. It's a relatively shy bird that prefers large tracts of woodland, and it drums on hollow branches, chimneys, etc. to announce its territory. In reading more about what I refer to as the "PWP," this woodpecker is known to excavate oval holes up to several feet long in tree trucks, looking for insects to eat. That leads me to this other photo I took, which I came across while walking in the woods:
The second visitor was a Northern Cardinal, a brilliant all-red bird with a black mask, the first I'd seen in quite a while.
Unfortunately for me, the cardinal's perch was way up atop a tree and my photos of it weren't as good as I'd hoped. With any luck I'll encounter one again and get better shots. Next time!
Cindy
Comments
Yay! I'm first!
I bet that birdie would have had no problem catching mice!
And when it re-appears next time, catch it and take it home. Then when it stops singing for it's mamma, put it in a pie and eat it.
Brain matter deposited by: Piggy and Tazzy on March 24, 2006 11:23 AM
Between Blue and his beaver and now you and your woodpeckers...
...I'll say nothing of the mice, we just don't wanna go there...
Brain matter deposited by: Slide on March 24, 2006 11:56 AM
Ah, woodpecker. First you make a roux...
Just kidding.
I tried to take a picture of what I thought was a hawk. I zoomed as good as I could, snapped several photos and then realized the damned thing was a buzzard.
Brain matter deposited by: Kat on March 24, 2006 4:29 PM
If that Cardinal is anything like the Cardinals around here, it's the avian equivalent of a small nervous poodle. On a hair trigger and jumpy as hell.
Pretty to look at though. :D
Brain matter deposited by: Ted on March 24, 2006 5:02 PM
first cardinal sighting on the blogoshere.
Brain matter deposited by: RONW on March 25, 2006 9:38 AM