Hello VAbirders,
The focus in our garden during the winter season is woodpeckers and
raptors. They liven up the cold, dreary days. The ever-busy woodpeckers
fuss and joust at each other, the accipitors come screaming in to snatch at
the MODOs (Mourning Doves), and the buteos eyeball the multitude of
squirrels we harbor as they endure the taunts and jabs of our beloved Crows.
This winter season our Pileateds, Mrs. P and Klutzy, have been so scarce
that I was beginning to worry about them. Until today! Over the last
several days we observed a solo Mrs. P, and then later, a solo male
Pileated that we hoped was Klutzy. Yesterday and today I saw the male
"owning" the Pileated suet feeder once more, and a few moments ago I
watched as Mrs. P furiously started housecleaning the "Pileated Tree" in
our woods. She would plunge her head into the large holes, flick her head
back, and sweep out a load of sawdusty litter over her shoulder. At one
point she climbed into one hole and then popped out of another hole with a
grapefruit-sized ball of nesty-looking fluff that she let drop to the
ground. Hooray, my girl is back!
The Pileated Tree is a very tall Sycamore tree that the Pileateds have used
as a winter roost. We have a perfect view of the tree from our bank of
living room windows and have watched them work on the tree many a winter in
the 15+ yrs we've lived here. Several winters ago a squirrel kicked the
Pileateds out of their "penthouse suite" high in the tree and ever since,
the couple had not been successful in retaking the tree. The suite of
holes that Mrs. P. cleaned out today is halfway up the tree. Perhaps she
decided the nice view from the upstairs suite wasn't as important as having
a cozy winter roost, and so settled for the midfloor suite instead. I'd
like to think that the constant supply of peanut suet that we provide just
100' away from their door is an added incentive for their housing choice. :-)
For me Christmas came early, I got my gift today. :-)
Season's greetings everyone!
Lori Markoff
Vienna
Fairfax County
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