Tag Archives: Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker, Making a Hole

November 20, 2025 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

The top of this dying pine tree behind our house snapped off during a storm a couple of years ago. I often can see bird movement around the jagged top and now that some nearby trees have dropped their leaves several holes are visible on the sides.

I heard this Pileated Woodpecker working away and was fortunate the sun was highlighting his activity.

Even with me watching he kept at it.

When he went around the other side of the tree I got a pretty good view of his handiwork.

SC, Backyard
November 17, 2025

OM System OM 1 Mark II
OM System 100-400mm lens

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker

May 23, 2025 Ellen Jennings 4 Comments

As usual with a Pileated Woodpecker I heard him before I spotted him.

And also fitting the norm, he was pretty high above me.

He did take a few turns around this branch before moving on, giving me a decent opportunity for photographs.

Cypress Wetlands, Port Royal, SC
May 7, 2025

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker Neck Flexing

December 16, 2023 Ellen Jennings 2 Comments

Tilting his head waaaaay back, this Pileated Woodpecker was having a good look at the sky before checking out his level.

Look up…

Look left…

…and right…

He flew to a nearby tree, spottable mostly because of his red-top.

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, Charleston, SC
November 16, 2023

Birds

Pileated Woodpeckers

June 20, 2023 Ellen Jennings 5 Comments

I’ve seen and heard Pileated Woodpeckers near this spot at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens many times. Last week I got a photo op of not just one,

but two, at the side of the exit road as I was headed to my car.

The youngster ducked into hiding while the adult worked his way around this oft trimmed tree.

Finally they came back together, with junior getting a taste of whatever the parent was finding.

June 15, 2023

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker, Learning to Forage

August 3, 2021 Ellen Jennings 12 Comments

There were two Pileated Woodpeckers in a Live Oak tree above my head, picking through the Spanish Moss and Resurrection Fern. The vegetation looks lovely in the tree, but sure limits photography of birds.

I never saw what they were eating but it appeared to be berries or nuts, and no pecking was going on.

It is likely this was an adult teaching a juvenile as a few times the younger looking one was just watching then got fed.

One came out into the open just before they flew off.

July 23, 2021

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker, Cheesy Wood

June 15, 2021 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

Swiss Cheese, anyone?

For probably not the first time this Pileated Woodpecker did the rounds of this well pecked tree.

Checking out the existing holes…

…giving it a few new knocks…

…and having a general look around.

June 9, 2021

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker

January 20, 2020 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

I heard a number of woodpeckers as I wandered along the boardwalk though the Bald Cypress forest at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary.

The only one I spotted for more than a second was this Pileated Woodpecker who was in view for less then a minute.

I do love that flash of red.

Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
January 2, 2020

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker Feeding Fledgling

May 27, 2018 Ellen Jennings 9 Comments

Not far from where I saw a Pileated Woodpecker wreaking havoc on the boardwalk to the swamp last week I heard the impressive tat-tat-tat again. This youngster was frozen in place in a nearby tree and clearly not the origin of the percussion.

He flew a little higher just as I spotted the adult again assaulting the underside of the boardwalk railing.

The adult flew up to the fledgling and started feeding him some regurgitated material.

The chick stuck to his spot and the adult flew off and returned several times, daintily offering the juvenile food.

The feeding process was very calm, especially compared to the egrets and herons I had just been watching.

Birds

On The Boardwalk

May 13, 2018 Ellen Jennings 3 Comments

I still get excited when I see a Pileated Woodpecker and to have one land on the boardwalk railing was a treat. They look pre-historic and check out those feet!

Pileated Woodpecker on Boardwalk Railing

I’d guess he’d been to this spot before as he wasted no time dropping down over the edge.

He bobbed up and down, gave just a few pecks on the wood, and was eating something.

I have seen Carpenter Bees flying and hovering around this area for weeks. The substance the Pileated Woodpecker was eating wasn’t distinctive, but may have been bee eggs laid in the wood.

I forgot about looking over the edge after the woodpecker left for what would be a perfectly round hole made by the Carpenter Bee when a bright yellow bird zipped along in the other direction.

Birds

Pileated Woodpecker Overhead

December 24, 2017 Ellen Jennings 6 Comments

Without any fuss this Pileated Woodpecker flew into a tree above my head as a few folks were gathered to watch the Great Blue Herons nesting. His “do” would suggest he might be shocked, too.

Photographing birds over your head is not the ideal situation and perhaps not the best view of the bird but this angle shows off his impressive beak.

He didn’t do any drilling or even poke around the tree, just sat there for about five minutes. The few tourists passing underneath him didn’t capture his attention. There were a few Red Shouldered Hawks patrolling the area behind us and maybe he was hiding. He left as quick as he came with no noise, back the way he had come.