[va-bird] TWO Red-headed Woodpeckers in Albemarle Co

This morning I stopped off to see "my" Red-headed Woodpecker and lo and behold 
there was a second bird.  One of the birds settled on the trunk of a tree right 
in front of the car so I didn't even have to get out of the car to watch it. It 
was very windy and the bird stayed quite still for a long period of time on the 
leeward side of the tree.  The wind was coming from the NW and it was settled 
in on the SE.  I noticed some areas of light brown on its black back which 
makes me wonder if it isn't a bird that hatched last spring with just a few 
remnants of its juvenile plumage still there.  In The Birds of North America I 
read that the RhW is the most expert and persistent flycatcher in its family.  
This makes me think that the behavior I described of the bird flying out 
"almost flycatcher-like" and returning to the same area of the tree really was 
catching insects.  That was Wed afternoon (2/21) and it was a lovely warm day 
when insects were undoubtedly in the air.
  The Birds of NA also said that in se US RhW can start nest building in 
February.  Another person who stopped by to see these birds today noticed that 
one was working at a hole in a tree when a starling poked its head out.  I've 
never seen a starling in my neighborhood because it is very woodsy but this 
grove, although very close to my neighborhood, is more park-like and evidently 
hosts startlings.  Bad news!  But, for sure, I'll continue watching these birds 
to see if they do nest.
  Jennifer Gaden, Albemarle Co.
 
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