- Post score: 7
- #1
My wife and I were watching this pileated woodpecker hunt for insects among some fallen logs beside the trail we were hiking. We heard another calling from in the trees but could not pinpoint the location. After about 15 minutes the male flew up into the trees and the female flew out. We were able to spot the hole in the tree. Male hopped in and about 2 or 3 minutes later poked his head out of the hole and stayed in this position for quite some time. There was a small stream and a fairly steep downward hill separating us from the woodpecker. It paid no attention to the two humans. The trail we were on is fairly heavily traveled so I would assume he its accustomed to people.
the tree is an Ash Tree that was killed by the emerald ash bore when that ravaged our countryside several years ago. Woodpeckers seem to have benefited from all the standing dead timber. I wanted to include a view of the broken off tree, the scars under what used to be the bark where the beetles devoured the underside of the bark killing the tree as well as how the forest is healing itself now that more light gets to the ground in this one spot. One thing about nature is when something dies, something else steps in to take its place as long as we allow that to happen. It is the sprawl of cities, leveling of natural areas to make more soccer fields, draining wetlands for another golf course, etc.
OK, I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here. sorry. Back to photography.
Jeff
the tree is an Ash Tree that was killed by the emerald ash bore when that ravaged our countryside several years ago. Woodpeckers seem to have benefited from all the standing dead timber. I wanted to include a view of the broken off tree, the scars under what used to be the bark where the beetles devoured the underside of the bark killing the tree as well as how the forest is healing itself now that more light gets to the ground in this one spot. One thing about nature is when something dies, something else steps in to take its place as long as we allow that to happen. It is the sprawl of cities, leveling of natural areas to make more soccer fields, draining wetlands for another golf course, etc.
OK, I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here. sorry. Back to photography.
Jeff
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