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
A snag at the edge of a swamp was the perfect spot for this Red-headed Woodpecker to survey his territory.
I heard this Red-bellied Woodpecker way before I finally spotted him. I waited and got this reward.
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
The Red-headed Woodpecker is a bird that I have only glimpsed, generally flying away from me. Then a few weeks ago I saw two in less than ten minutes!
The second one, perhaps a mate to the first, tormented Ted and me with knocking that we could not locate. Who knew they could make such a racket inside a tree?
Once out of the cavity he stuck to the shady side of the tree.
The Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are industrious and fun to watch when feeding in plain view.
This one was in the drinking phase of his routine, from holes previously made in the bark.
Holding still on a short break I got a nice profile view showing off that sturdy beak and beautiful color pattern.
They tend to circle the tree, moving up and down, enough to make the photographer dizzy guessing where they will reappear.
I didn’t have a great view when I first spotted this pair of Red-bellied Woodpeckers. I was pretty sure the one on the right zipped into that hole while I maneuvered around the tree between us.
I watched for him to come out before turning my attention to the other one as he was pecking on the tree. Then I could hear the second one calling.
The question then was to keep watching the first subject or risk missing some action there and look for the second. I succumbed to looking and he eventually popped up behind this branch. Or was there the whole time and I just didn’t notice.
He quickly flew off. Meanwhile the first one had moved a little higher, paused a moment, then also flew off.
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
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers feed at sapwells, shallow holes they have drilled in tree’s bark.
Like other woodpeckers, Sapsuckers are industrious, and usually their work is in tidy rows.
Check out his sharp beak and the spread of his foot!
As the sapsucker worked around the tree additional sapwells came into view.
Click on any photo for a larger view.
I was startled when this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker flew over my shoulder so close I could have touched him.
He perched on a limb overhanging the trail just ahead of me and had a look around. Whatever he was looking for wasn’t in the immediate vicinity and shortly he continued on his way.
