Tag Archives: Pileated Woodpecker

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Pileated Woodpeckers are the largest woodpeckers here on the Mendonoma Coast. They are so very striking and their calls are unmistakable. Craig Tooley recently found this male Pileated working on a tree with its very powerful beak.

You can see bits of bark flying as he uncovers a nest of tasty carpenter ants, his favorite food.

To hear their call, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

They often call while flying. Peter Baye told me these woodpeckers also like Concord grapes. Peter grows them and leaves some of the crop for the Pileateds. He said they will often gorge upside down!

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

It's sunny, breezy and cool today. In a walk in the forest today, I noticed the ponds of water in a seasonal creek have gotten deeper from the recent rains.

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Michele Melio was at Shell Beach, one of public access trails of The Sea Ranch. She wrote, "I saw something red, maybe a Downy or Hairy Woodpecker. No, something better, a Pileated Woodpecker, nature's chainsaw."

"The Beaver is nature's builder and engineer, but the woody woodpecker lives up to its name. They can turn a tree into sawdust and wood chips in a matter of days. I've never seen one in this area before, as they generally hide and hunt in the forest on the ridge with the bigger trees. I tried my best to get a better shot, but it kept calling "ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." Then comes a noisy pair of humans walking down the trail talking loudly. It took off cackling the entire way."

It's not always easy to get a photo of one of these prehistoric-looking birds. Here's another look at one of these beauties, this one taken by Mike Petrich.

Pileateds have a very unique call. You can listen to it at this link at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

Thanks to Michele and Mike for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

The storm late Friday brought another inch of rain, and we sailed past 25 inches season to date. It's raining Saturday afternoon and another storm is due in Sunday. Bring it, Mother Nature!

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The largest woodpecker on the Mendonoma Coast is the Pileated Woodpecker and Eric Zetterholm recently had one visit his The Sea Ranch home.  Eric wrote, “The fallen trees around our neighborhood from the January storms have attracted a Pileated Woodpecker to hang around a bit. Most often we can only hear it in the morning along with the Acorn Woodpeckers and Quail that are in greater numbers this spring. I had two chances to get pictures of  the Pileated in the last week during the evening sunset lighting that just gets through the thinned-out trees.”

These big woodpeckers have a very distinctive call. You can hear it at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share his photos with  you here.

There is a high fog here today, but the temps are mild.

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Craig Tooley recently found one of my favorite birds, the Pileated Woodpecker. I heard one calling in the Anchor Bay area this morning.

These prehistoric-looking birds are quite large - their wingspan can be 29 inches. The red streak on the woodpecker's cheek tell us this is a male. They have a very unique call, which you can hear at this link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

The folks at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology have created a fabulous, free app that you can upload to your smart phone. It's called the Merlin Bird ID  app, and I've been having so much fun with it! You hold your phone up to birdsong and the app identifies the bird, showing you a photo along with the name. You can find it at this link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/merlin-bird-id-by-cornell-lab/id773457673

The Merlin app is brilliant and sure to be a hit with youngsters too!

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

Today is simply lovely here on the Mendonoma Coast. Clear skies and a gentle breeze. Two Finback Whales were seen yesterday morning, which means there is a lot of feed - anchovies! - in the ocean. We're hoping to see our first Blue Whale of the season any day.

 

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Here's the Mendonoma Coast's largest woodpecker, a Pileated Woodpecker. Craig Tooley photographed a male looking for bugs on a tree.

Here is a short video showing how the woodpecker uses his very strong beak to hammer away at a snag, looking for his favorite meal, carpenter ants.

The call of these woodpeckers is quite distinctive and you can listen to it here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pileated_Woodpecker/sounds

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo and video with you here. To see much  more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

An overnight storm brought nearly an inch of rain, and it's showery this afternoon. It's suppose to clear up for a few days, with another storm coming in late Thursday. Keep the rain coming, Mother Nature!