Nobody
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Suprise photograpic subject

I really wish I'd had my good camera this morning. Can't find it. Seems like whenever you want something it disappears. Hopefully it shows up soon. Anyway I had my cell phone was taking photos of the garden when I got a surprise visitor. The biggest surprise was he? let me get within about 15 feet of him. First one I've actually seen let alone gotten this close to. Beautiful. :D
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HoneyBerry
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Such a beautiful bird. Pileated Woodpecker, I think that's what it is.
Your lucky day.

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applestar
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Yep. When I was a kid, I thought that’s what they all looked like (because of the cartoon.... :> )

I’ve never seen that kind of woodpecker around here, though DH has, further north while fishing along a creek. I wondered if they prefer a more forest-like deciduous tree environment — and maybe higher elevation — than what we have ....?

Nobody
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Probably more forested areas, I'm about 500 feet above sea level. I live in a forest. I hear him all the time. :D

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rainbowgardener
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I don't know about elevation, but they definitely like wooded areas. In Cincinnati, for awhile I lived in a place with five wooded acres. We heard the pileated woodpecker frequently, but rarely saw it-- they are usually shy. That's why it is amazing you got so close to it, Nobody. :shock:

Nobody
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rainbowgardener wrote:I don't know about elevation, but they definitely like wooded areas. In Cincinnati, for awhile I lived in a place with five wooded acres. We heard the pileated woodpecker frequently, but rarely saw it-- they are usually shy. That's why it is amazing you got so close to it, Nobody. :shock:

Probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can't imagine my surprise when I turned around and saw him. All I can figure out is he wanted an easy meal. You can't see them in the photo but there are some very old dead tree limbs with I'm sure some nice bugs for him. I took dozens of pictures to get this one and kept waiting for him to fly off the closer I got.

Umm maybe I should spread some old limbs throughout the garden. :D

Vanisle_BC
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Pileated woodpeckers are fairly common around here (Vancouver Island - definitely 'wooded') They love to find some metal that will amplify their jackhammer mating "call." My daughter complains about one that wakes her every daybreak, hammering on the neighbor's metal roof.

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tomf
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They like forests, we have them on our land. Love seeing them, we also have sapsucker woodpeckers. I have been seeing a lot of quail and grouse lately. Of course its of other birds.

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TomatoNut95
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I have seen a few Pileated Woodpeckers in my area; but they are quite uncommon. Years ago I took a picture of one through the binoculars! :lol: One of family member that I don't like is having a bunch of trees cut down on his property. It's no telling how many homes he's destroying. We also have a few owls, and on very rare occasions, I'll hear a whippoorwill. So sweet those whippoorwills! :)



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