I’ve always wanted to see… and photograph… a Pileated Woodpecker. I’ve only actually seen one once before during a walk in the woods and it scared off well before I could pull out my camera.
Two weeks ago, I was finishing my lunch out on the deck – when suddenly a pair of very large birds sailed across my backyard. I knew right away there was something unusual about them and at a quick glance – I realized they were Pileated Woodpeckers! I dashed through the house yelping – grabbing my camera and flagging down my husband in the garage. My son Alex was running along with me as he had seen them as well.
They first landed on a telephone pole in the front meadow, then they perched on the base of a large tree across the street. I could they were a pair and traveling together. We got in our van, and drove down alongside the tree where I carefully pointed my 500mm lens in their direction. The two birds were SO into each other – they didn’t seem to care a bit they were being pursued by a van and a woman with a camera! They danced up and down and around the tree trunk. I never did get a shot of them “together” as it seemed they were always on opposite sides of the trunk from one another.
So – there. I FINALLY got my first photo of one of these very interesting birds. And for some reason while I type this, I’m humming the tune of “Woody Woodpecker” in my head!
Very beautiful photo of the pileated. I have always wanted to photograph one!
Congrats on the pileated photo. I’ve seen them at the Chippewa Nature Center before. I was in the bird viewing room there and seen the bird coming to the feeders.