My First Woody (Woodpecker)...so to speak.

[Solly Mack]

Woody Woodpecker shared similarities with the Pileated Woodpecker.













I just sat on my bum and let him circle the tree.

Never gotten a shot of a Pileated Woodpecker before.

[valerief]

1. Wow, what a fabulous bird!!!! nt

[Solly Mack]

2. Thanks, valerief!

They are neat woodpeckers.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. just wonderful! We hear them here far more than seeing them -

but it is a wonderful treat when one decides to pay a closer visit!

[Solly Mack]

4. Thanks, NRaleighLiberal

I heard him before I saw him. I was lounging in a chair out back when I heard him. I hoped he would show his face and he did.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. check this out - captured while kayaking at a nearby lake a few years ago

talk about getting lucky!

&list=UUPggJ2HcbglMeTound4KGQA

[Solly Mack]

6. Cool! Thanks!

[NRaleighLiberal]

8. how are you doing, anyway?

Been thinking about you and your health challenge.

[Solly Mack]

9. Getting better and feeling better.

As much as I hated getting the feeding tube I have to admit it is helping me.

They remove it at the end of this month. I'm doing well with solid food and that was the goal.

Thanks!!

[Crewleader]

7. Another wonderful treat, great shots

and the woodpecker did all the work while you captured him beautifully.

[Solly Mack]

10. He was going to have to do the work...I wasn't leaving my chair. lol

[Crewleader]

11. LOL!

Smart girl, healing hugs!

[Blue_In_AK]

12. He's so cute.

[Solly Mack]

14. I thought he was....and so nice.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. Those are wonderful pictures, my dear Solly Mack!

And how cool he did all the moving around while you photographed him!

[Solly Mack]

16. Thanks, CaliforniaPeggy!

I was too pooped to chase him.

[Tom Kitten]

15. Lucky you!

Having all these wonderful birds coming around and letting you take such good pictures of them! That bird seems quite the character - I love his eye in the third and fourth photos.

I'm so glad you are feeling better! Just sit and rest and let the birds come...who knows? Tomorrow an ivory billed might just decide to show up!

[Solly Mack]

17. If an Ivory Billed showed up I might just get up for that. :)

Just to be sure of what I was seeing.

We have red cockaded woodpeckers and I want a photo of one. They are protected here.


Thanks, Tom Kitten!

[NV Whino]

18. Those are wonderful birds

And hard as heck to shoot. Good job!

Those guys migrate through here and attack my client's redwood house on the way. Sounds like a jackhammer. And they make very big holes. Still, what's not to like with a Woody Woodpecker?

[Solly Mack]

19. Thanks, NV Whino!

The red bellied woodpecker pecks at my awning when his food needs refilling. Very loud!

No holes in the house thankfully.

[madfloridian]

20. I have seen woodpeckers, but never one like that

That must have been a treat Thanks for sharing.

[Solly Mack]

24. Hey, mad! It was a treat.

Thanks!

[joshdawg]

21. Great pics!

Ya done good. Thanks for posting.

[Solly Mack]

25. Thanks, joshdawg!

[BrotherIvan]

22. You are so lucky!

We do not have woodpeckers in California (that I know of). Our birds in general are not as colorful as the colder states. It would be so thrilling to see/hear one in real life. One of my most magical memories is visiting relatives in the midwest and seeing a red-breasted robin. We do have tons of hummingbirds though and that is a treat.

Thanks for sharing!

[Solly Mack]

26. Robins are pretty and I adore hummingbirds.

We only get 2 kinds of hummingbirds in my area, sadly. I'm jealous of those who get a bigger variety.

Here's hoping you get the chance to see lots of woodpeckers!

Thanks!

[csziggy]

34. California has the Acorn Woodpecker

I love the Cornell Lab of Ornithology description of them:

Reminiscent of a troupe of wide-eyed clowns, Acorn Woodpeckers live in large groups in western oak woodlands. Their social lives are endlessly fascinating: they store thousands of acorns each year by jamming them into specially made holes in trees. A group member is always on alert to guard the hoard from thieves, while others race through the trees giving parrotlike waka-waka calls.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Acorn_Woodpecker/lifehistory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_woodpecker

[BrotherIvan]

35. I did not know that

If I'm in an area with oaks, I'll keep a look out. The expression on his face is pretty funny.

[mnhtnbb]

23. Solly we see them here all the time...but they never stay still long enough for me to get a shot!

These are great!

It's so good to see you back posting photos!

[Solly Mack]

27. Thanks, mnhtnbb!

I'm up to 4 now that I've seen around here. I hope to get the red-cockaded woodpecker before I leave here.

[Rhiannon12866]

28. Wow! Great photos!

And I saw a Pileated Woodpecker only once, when I was a kid. My mother knew birds and this one was right there, at the edge of the yard. It was enormous!

[Solly Mack]

29. Thanks, Rhiannon12866

They are big birds.

[Rhiannon12866]

30. And very rare.

I've always considered myself very lucky to have seen one...

[Celebration]

31. oh, wow what a THRILL

I have seen a few and I even chased one last weekend, but photos, no luck! Very jealous.

This is AWESOME!!

[Solly Mack]

32. Thanks, Celebration!

I was surprised to hear one and then to see it. It was a thrill for me. I had a big grin on my face.

[juxtaposed]

33. looks like a young male maybe? If they find grubs in a tree they will keep going back. nice catch!

[NCarolinawoman]

36. I'm Very late to this thread!

Solly, those last two photos. What's with that fellow's hair (feathers) standing on end? Did he see his girlfriend? I've only had one glance of a pileated in real life--everything else has been from photos--have never seen a crest look like that. Maybe he saw your camera?

I did once see a little ruby crowned kinglet raise a single red feather on his head when a female came near. It was interesting, as this was in the dead of winter; I thought maybe the tiny little fellow was possibly eyeballing a future wife

Due to health problems, I have been mostly reading and not posting of late, but I have to say I am SO glad to see you back here!