A Wintery Appearance

Since my last posting I have had a new blind built to sit in to take pictures from. Let me explain that I sit in the blind but should I hear something I do leave it to investigate. My blind is set more or less or there abouts in the center of four-acres.

Two weeks ago while sitting in my blind I heard a loud knocking. I looked and looked but because of the snow couldn't really tell where the sound ws coming from. After sitting in my blind for about 30 minutes I decided to go out and investigate where the sound may be coming from. There on the side of a pine was a Pileated Woodpecker.

Ever since I first saw this bird I have really been facinated and look forward to every encounter. The sighting and the chase is very exciting and I wasn't sure I would see one in the winter but, after looking through the bird books that I have - these birds are all-year-round in my area.

To watch this bird ship away at a tree is amazing, every strike precise and when you watch the pictures in a play back every hit with such force and determination. I stood about 20 feet from the tree that this pileated was chipping away at (she was approximately 20 ft up the tree). I moved ever so slowly so not to disturb her and at one point I even coughed and she never budged.

Two weeks has gone by and tomorrow I go back up north the first thing I plan on doing is to go check the tree she was chipping at to see if she came back to finish the job.

Hope you enjoy the photo.

Til my next posting,
pat