Be grateful for luck.
Pay the thunder no mind - listen to the birds.
And don't hate nobody.
~Eubie Blake
sunday afternoon
we followed the familiar 'tap-tap-tap'
of a woodpecker digging for bugs.
sam spotted this male Pileated Woodpecker
hard at work on the dead branch of an oak tree.
these birds are the largest of the florida woodpeckers. the size of a crow.
the 'red moustache' going back from the beak means this one's a male.
'pileated' means 'crested'...no explanation there!
our property is like a woodpecker heaven.
dead trees. fallen trees. fallen branches.
there are so many trees here that are just covered with woodpecker holes!!
i decided to take a couple of movies...very short...
sorry if they're a little shaky...but with my neck craned upward...arms out stretched...
UGH! i might need to invest in a tripod...
i have TRIED and TRIED to upload my videos from my computer...no luck!!
i googled the problem...i went to blogger help...over and over...NO LUCK!
((so frustrating!))
so, i finally decided to put them on YouTube
and then embed them. hope this works. oh well.
in this first 10 sec video you can see the puffs of sawdust!
in this 21 sec video you can hear him hammering away at the limb!
whenever i see these woodpeckers...
i think of the old WOODY WOODPECKER cartoons.
Woody's got to be a Pileated...
with that impressive crest on top of his head!
we have two other woodpeckers that hang out here...
this is the most common...the Red-Bellied.
i took this picture back in May. a yellow rat snake
climbed up this tree and crawled into the woodpeckers nesting hole...
the frantic parents were flying circles around the tree...
you can check out pictures of this unfortunate incident here: snakes & birds post.
(but that's just nature at work...)
this past year we were really surprised to see
the (more uncommon) Red-Headed woodpecker.
we've never seen this one in the yard before!!
well...that's all folks...
There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks.
Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough,
to pay attention to the story.
~Linda Hogan
happy autumn!
stay cool. enjoy your journey.
laura :]
NOW, you just need to spot an Ivory-billed Woodpecker ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnother great insight into your world.. what beautiful birds!We don't have woodpeckers on this side of the world, and it seems like that's a shame, looking at these lovely shots and videos.
ReplyDelete:)
Happy Autumn!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
I created a blogpost dedicated to you guys for sharing ur world via pictures..
didn't include your name but you get the drift!
amazing..
peace and love
Fascinating bird, this one. Spotted a couple of red head woodies during our brief stay in a forest in Central India 2 weeks back.
ReplyDeleteWe complain about the redundancy of our lives. These little workers go at the wood with a vengeance - day in and day out. Def something to learn there.
Good clicks! :)
I'm impressed with the woodpecker shots. Every time I try to capture one, they fly off.
ReplyDeleteFabulous shots Laura.
ReplyDeleteEJ! yeah!! an Ivory Billed woodpecker would be awesome!!
ReplyDeleteAlexia! thanks! thanks to cyberspace...we can all see the critters online that we don't have in our own backyard!!
Emme! thanks! will go check it out...peace & love to you too!!
june! it's always so cool...when you see something new!! and yes, those woodpeckers really attack the dead wood, don't they?! you can hear them from far away...
VM! if you spot one that's really intent on that dead wood...it's like they have a one track mind...like that pileated one...he stayed...and stayed...didn't want to give up that branch!
MS! thanks!! :]
THANKS ALL!!! :]
Love the pileated woodpecker pictures!
ReplyDeleteWell, my friend, you've done it once again! I love the sawdust!!!!...:)JP
ReplyDeleteGreat!Greater!Greatest!!! How cool! What keepsakes. Can't say it any other way. And you're right about videos. I've had to go to YouTube to get stuff downloaded. But-AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteHey, I've been following your blog for a while, but this is my first comment :)
ReplyDeleteThese pictures r awesome, as all r on this blog. You've got real talent :) Everything's so artsy, crafty n natural! And I LOVE the quotes inbetween!
Cool... everything's seriously cool :D
All the best!
(visit my blog if ever u wish :))
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteyou say and see always the right way...
The nature is still a wonder for us and should be thw ehole life long.
here in EU we have new problems at the moment, they want forbid to sale herbs as food, the pharmalobby sees big money inthere and until 11. April it startet with licences in pharmacy.
bad, we all, whoes loves nature and plants are shocked...
so long
love your photos!! :)
ReplyDeleteTHANKS Garden Path!! Home In the Hollow!! Susan!! Amused Medic!! Hexenessel!! and Demara!!
ReplyDeletei'm happy that you all enjoyed the woodpecker pic's! i have to admit...i was kinda excited to get them on here after i took them! esp the videos...but then immed got quite frustrated when i couldn't just upload them!
ANYWAY! thanks for taking the time to wander and leave your comments!
((HEXEN...yes, it's so sad that government wants to always change things when they see an opportunity to make $$. it's always the same...BIG $$ companies running everyone's lives! there's talk here too...of stricter laws regarding growing your own vegetables or just being the smaller...corner...or farmers market produce seller. it's ridiculous! always making things tougher for the 'little guy'!!)
thanks again everyone! :]
hey...when u make some video, don't move ur cam too much, it doesnt make nice movie...
ReplyDeleteotherwise great work done....loved it...
Nidhi
you got that right 'princess'...that's why i mentioned i need a tripod!
ReplyDeletewith arms outstretched...aimed up over my head...my muscles just start twitching...after a while! ha!
thanks!! for stopping by & taking the time to comment!! :]
Great photos of the Pileated! I've only seen them in flight and have never been able to get a photo.
ReplyDeletewow that tree really got the s*** pecked out of it!! Pretty crazy.
ReplyDeletethanks bunnits and featured creature!!
ReplyDeleteyeah...it was a pretty lucky shot!! that woodpecker was so intense...hammering away at the tree...he didn't care that we were right under him!!
the tree! yes!! looks like it got hit with machine gun fire...or whatever! there are so many like that around here...in the yard...it's amazing that these birds can actually get around to sooo many trees...make sooo many holes!!
thanks for swinging by and leaving your comments!! :]
Loved learning about the woodpecker - what a clever bird and I just adore the red plumage!
ReplyDeleteHad a laugh at the tree with all the holes!
Before TV, we'd go to the Saturday Flicks (movies) and amongst the cartoons would always be some of Woody Woodpecker's.
Enjoyed your two movies as well Laura :D
susan, yes!! those are big beautiful woodpeckers...and i'm kind of surprised you don't have any over there...you have everything else!!! eh?? :]
ReplyDeletethanks!! always good to hear from you!!! :]
ohhh....so dats the case...
ReplyDeletethanks for reply
warm regards
nidhi this side