[Bristol-Birds] Recent Birds - Piliated Woodpecker Behavior
- From: Jack Litz <wjlitz@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 6:39:21 -0700
Yesterday, 17Apr, I was working at at a picture window with a good view of some
close by woods and some open space. Glancing up occasionally, I spotted the
following:
American Crow (1) - working from tree to tree, almost always in the background
Carolina Chickadee (2) - at suet and at a thistle seed feeder
Northern Cardinal (1M, 1F) - at suet
Piliated Woodpecker (2)
The Piliated Woodpeckers made a spectacular entry and proceeded to inspect
several white pines from the ground up to about 5 ft. Tree diameters were
18-24
in. The birds worked each pine together. While at the same elevation they
circled in unison with a separation of about 60-degrees. They would move
counterclockwise in synchronized jumps with their heads tilted up at the same
angle, almost in line with their bodies, and their beaks slightly open. After
completing one revolution they would jump up in unison about one bird length
and
repeat the ritual. The only thing that looked like feeding behavior was when
one bird pecked at a stump a couple of times when they first arrived. I assume
they were male and female, but in an attack of "Buck Fever," I failed to
actually check the field marks although I do not remember any extra red marks
on
the head of either bird and differences might have been obvious when looking at
the birds so close to each other. To me this was an extra special occasion.
On Apr 16 I watched two Carolina Wrens working in some leaf litter. They
reminded me of Eastern Towhees the way they jumped and scratched.
Last week I rescued, at ground level, a Carolina Wren trapped in a downspout.
Jack Litz
Fordtown Community
Sullivan County,TN
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