I wanted to share a recent experience that I had with a Pileated Woodpecker. He kept coming back and sitting on all of the cars in the immediate neighborhood. I have photos (lots) - digital and video - of him on 6 different cars. In fact, one time my wife and I heard some flapping in the kitchen. We looked in and there he was - looking in the window. Probably saw his reflection. I was able to walk within 10-15 feet of him while taking pics outside.
Photo #2 - Sitting on the car mirror, saying "I'm ready to go - this sure beats flying" !!!
This message was edited Aug 8, 2004 9:14 PM
Photo #3 - Looking at himself in the mirror ....
Photo #4 - Reflection on the windshield ...
Photo #5 - Showing the under side of his wings ....
Beautiful pictures linthicum and what a looker...certainly seems he thinks so too!
linthicum .. There are just no words better suited for 'me',
but to exclaim an exuberant ...
WOW!! WOW!!! .. and DUUBUL WOW-WEEESERS !!!!!!
I just plum envy your wonderful opportunity to have
been able to 'nab' this absolutely beautiful fella !!!!!
Guess he was just totally engrossed with 'woooing' that other 'purtee' bird there right close by ... poor baby, just didn't have the slightest clue .. it was himself !!
Judging from those FANTASTIC pics - - he was obviously most convinced .. that he was some kind of super impressive, to say the least!! .. for {the other one} sure stayed round a spell !!!! .. LOL ...
Oh boy, my jaws hurt ... lol
Ya need a good ol slap on the back for those!! Some mighty wonderful shots .. !!! ..
I'm curious tho' .. anyone in the neighborhood .. resort to having to file any auto insurance claims .. for scratches to paint, or other possible damage? If so, one's just gotta wonder what the adjusters may have thought too ... when taking the report .. hee hee
Thanks for sharing these ... !!
LOL... I do love your descriptive words Magpye! You capture the moment perfectly!! :D
Wow is right! How wonderful to get so close. We have one near, we hear his call but rarely see him and certainly not close up!
What a wonderful photo op!!
I have only seen the pileated from a distance. Lucky you! Thanks for sharing.
Ditto what MagPye says.....great pics!!!!
Magpye, to the best of my knowledge - no insurance claims. I haven't told all of the neighbors that I continued taking pictures while he kept pecking on their respective car. Heck, I would have been crazy to scare him away.
On the other hand, and under the circumstances, could I be charged with being an accessory to the crime ???? Oh, well !!! It was worth it ....
Photo #6 - This neighbor provided an open invitation. Note the WELCOME sign and bird house. He cannot be charged with trespassing ....
Anyone that ever watched Woody Woodpecker knows full well that he can read !!!!
What amazing photos - esp. #2 & #3. They're such exciting birds - to me, always a symbol of the wild...but not this guy I guess. What I don't get is that he seems to be engaging in territorial behavior WAY past mating season. I wonder why? Thank you for sending these on -
Holy mackeral, linthicum. What an unusual bunch of photos. We have lots of PWs here, but we hear them more often than we see them. When we do see them, better not move an eyeball cause they'll leave right now!
GEEEEEEEZ!!!! ... That was an IDEAL shot there!!! LOL
How 'perfect' can a natural backdrop fall into place like that!?! Rather, the subject fall, hee .. FLY .. into the backdrop!!
Wow! .. Further, just how often does it happen when it's associated to wildlife??? Uhhh, mmmm .. near to never ... ! Ahhhh, you lucky ol booger you ... !!
Okay .. linthicum .. It's far TOO late - we're all jes 'done for' now!! .. LOL ... See, you simply canNOT stop with just pic #6 .. for we'll surely be going into 'withdrawals' soon ... I tell ya!
It's just too remarkably unbelievable - this 'woody' of yours!! Is he alone in these types of endeavors (for lack of a better word) ... LOL ... or just he, and his respective (make that 'reflective') co-hort ?? ... hee hee Seems like it'd be like what winkworth had mentioned ...
psst .... (whisperin' here) ... when it's all said and done, and you've confirmed .. that 'woody' has indeed had enuff of his ol 'bad bootiful seff' .. and his apparent vehicle flirtation/obsession and has flown the 'coupe') LOL LOL - - then, and ONLY then ... you can safely put the word out to your neighbors, that you have pictures as documentation to [their] reFLective insurance 'claims' - and put a nice nominal, but 'decent' fee, for each! .. LOL .. I mean, you indeed have had expenses!!!!! .. ha ..
HEY, it sounds like a plan .. !! hee hee hee
But, please give the miscreant critter a reasonable chance to flee .. or, fly (Ha!) .. from the area of the alleged 'crimes' .. of PASSION, that is!! ...
An accessory? ... where? .. when? .. Haint seen nor heard NUFFIN' !! .. Who's Linthicum? And you say, 'woody' .. woody who ... ? ... lol lol lol ...
The hubby mentioned a few weeks ago .. that he 'saw' one of the Pilleated from our 55 acre wood .. come to our flat feeder right here at the house. I got SO super excited about the prospect I just went plum nuts with delight ... The ol Coot 'came clean' later .. and informed me, that he was just pullin' my 'layg' .. I coulda pinched the 'far' (fire) out of him .. for doin' me like that!! .. Funny now, tho' .. sorta. .. hee hee
* Well, I've learned .. that there is indeed some feasibility of truth, to the old adage of 'laughing to death' ... for, goodness me, the pain from my jaws seems to be moving to my diaphragm under my lungers!! ... LOL ...
Naw, I'm fine .. Just living, lovin' and laughin .. about life, and the antics of wildlife, and those that are so 'blessed' to be able to snag it .. on cam'ra!!!!
You've surely got other pics .. that you're 'holding out' on ... dig 'em up, and deliver, Linthicum!! ... (purtee please) ...
Just some mitey 'WOW' pics ... Appreciate it SO very much you're sharing them here ! .. magpye
Okay, magpye . . . I'll try to accommodate you !!!
And, in the beginning ...
We heard this knock (pecking and flapping) on the kitchen window. I quickly grabbed my camera as I "thought" I heard -
"Come on out and take my picture"
And so I did.
"CAUGHT IN THE ACT" ????
"NO, I WAS FRAMED !!!! CAN'T YOU SEE, I WAS FRAMED"
This message was edited Aug 7, 2004 10:57 PM
How about a little "FOOD FOR THOUGHT" ?
Ahh Hahh!! .. I knew it!! .. Had this strange feelin' you were holdin' out on us !! .. Hee Hee ... LOL .. Hee Hee ..
Wellllll, Hee .. I'll admit it!! I thought it just had to be a wee bit of 'embellishment' there .. but, I'll be doggone .. he really was at your window. Beat me with a wet noodle ...
'Food for thought' is adorable .. but the 'I was framed!' .. is utterly HILL-AiR-EE-US !!
I love it .. jes love it!
Photo #10 - "This is music to my ears .... it's a "FIREBIRD"
I'm gonna need to make more "wooden nickels".
Oh My... he is sumthin else! I have only seen one a few times and it's been in wooded areas. I've never seen one come out in the open like that. He certainly is in love with himself!
Photo #11 - THE APPLE OF MY EYE !!!
"He's a mirror image of myself. We could be twins"
Photo #12 - "Red is my favorite color" !!!
Photo #13 - "THE END"
Beginning to doze off with the cat in my lap
I was just settling down for a long afternoon nap
When out on the lawn there rose such a chatter
I sprang from chair to see what was the matter
Away to the door I ran like heck
Being extra careful to not break my neck
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But "Woody Woodpecker" bringing me a last bit of cheer
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know he knew he had nothing to dread
So up from below to the housetop he flew
Preparing to bless me with a final adieu
With camera in hand I was hoping for one last pic
He waited patiently until he heard the quiet click
I heard him exclaim as he flew out of sight
"Heh,heh,heh,heh,HEH,heh" "Heh,heh,heh,heh,HEH,heh"
And to all a Good Night
THAT'S ALL FOLKS !!!! Heh,heh,heh,heh,HEH,heh
Thank you for your comments . . . . Hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as I did taking them. Once in a lifetime experience like this is in reality a FANTASY.
Now, that ^ was ingenius !! .. hee hee ..
Oh boy oh boy .. Have THOROUGHLY enjoyed every blissful pic, pun and poem ... and most delightfully, Linthicum !!
Thank YOU .. SO much for sharing it all
with us !!! ..
Wish you many more 'unexpected' photo ops .. and that you'll be just as 'prepared' then too !! !! Loved it all!!
Your friend Woody is truly amazing!! I hope, for you and us, that he will be visiting your neighborhood often.
linthicum - what a great adaptation of that poem. Also - thanks for sharing these wonderful pics! My DH was so impressed by all of them and so was I.
Magpye - you nuts!
m. ;-0
mbock .. yep, possibly so, .. ey, probably so! .. but it's all in love, clean fun, and enjoyment of all of the rest of 'us' and our gardens, yards, critters, endeavors, and our lives .. and the many crooks and turns each takes .. Along with the many lil surprises that await around each turn .. practically every day.
Such photo opportunities, as this with linthicum & his WW .. seldom knock twice .. (or THAT many times!)
.. LOL ..
Immense enjoyment, I tell ya .. - Mags
He's a lovely looking bird!
Here in the Uk we now have a big problem with vandal crows. They see their reflection in the car mirrors and attack them. Windscreen wiper blades too.
Linthicum, can you feed him to keep him around for more pics? I know they like large white grubs. His hanging around is really unusual. I've seen them in the woods here but if I go out with a camera they fly off. Pileateds almost went the way of the Ivory Bills. So glad to see more of them. Frank
Ever so pleased to read/look my way down thru the thread. How verrrrrrrry lucky we are that you had a camera when this handsome fellow came to spend his vacation time looking for a new vehicle.
Actually seems terribly stuck on himself. LOL thanks ~Blooms
Wow what a fabulous series of shots. Bet it could do some real damage to the car if it wanted to lol.
What I wanna know is.... Did he debug your cars? If they didn't have "bugs," what was he doing there? ;-)
I think you Pileated is a young one. I have seen adult ones in northern Michigan that are huge. They say they can take a good sized tree down in a day. Wonderful pics!!!
Magpye, just in case you take another look see . . .
A little note to THANK YOU for making this thread more "exciting".
If it had not been for your added and continuing "banter", I would have not posted half of the photos. You're like the "icin" on the cake !!!
I "shure" like your "Sudern Charm" . . . Y'all take care !!!
Imwaytodumb, you asked what he was doing there . . . "Birds of a feather flock together". He thought it was a "FIREBIRD".(Pontiac, i.e.) !!! And as far as "debugging" is concerned, I assume that you've heard of "Geeks on Call". Perhaps he worked for "Beaks on Call".
Heh,heh,heh,heh,HEH,heh !!!
:-D
Now, how could you have possibly been so suspicious of me like that ? .. hee hee
okay, okay .. I'm guilty .. (I'ma holdin' my hand way up high here!!)
Yep, I come back to take plenty more ganders at any and all of the pics and 'reads' ..
that give me such good giggles and jaw breakin' achin' from laughter! Along with all
of those that do my lil raggedy ol heart and soul good too ...
Dangum, we all need a little pat on our backs some times .. and every once in a while
a good hearty dose of .. 'get up off'n your hind end' .. and 'git them pitters posted' ..
kind of helps too !! .. LOL ..
Icin', 'ey ?!? ...
Least ways, I'mma thankin' that's a sortee complimintury sumpin you put up 'ar!
I'm a little unsure now .. about the 'banter' stuff tho' .. Specially beins I done up and let the
cat outta the bag .. over on that other thread!! .. hee hee .. LOL ..
Thanks again, linth .. Much too kind .. My head's gonna go swellin' up on me ... Hee
My goodness what an incredible photo essay! WOW! Thanks so much for posting these and for turning my attention to them. I have no idea how I ever missed these! Amazing!
-Julie
I could not believe my eyes this morning. I was doing some weeding in the garden and looked out toward my driveway ..... and there she was, a Pileated Woodpecker sitting on my car. I really thought that last year was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but...
Last year the Male was the daily visitor but this one was the Female or a Juvenile ??? I could hardly hold my camera still (PW fever), as I sneaked around the house. This sure made my day !!!
Here are a few photos with, hopefully, more to come.
