Pileated in my willow

I have a tall (40') willow that always has some rotting branches. Today a pileated woodpecker came for lunch!

I was sitting nearby in the shade when pieces of bark came raining down.

he didn't seem to mind my pic taking.

Bet he found a few bugs.

Those pics are fabulous. That must have been one of those goose bumps experiences! I've only seen them at a fair distance. Wow!

I couldn't help but whistle a few bars of the Woody Woodpecker theme. He joined in.

I took about a gazillion pics and ended up with these few!

Hi, boojum
They are one of my favorite birds! We have them in the woods deep behind our house. You don't think about them being that large until you see one.
Teresa

Nice shots boojum! I still haven't seen one here but I know their all around the area in more wooded areas. Lucky you!

Thanks. I wished he wasn't so high up. My neck was killing me!! I hope he comes back especially today because my birder friend from RI is here!

Have you ever seen him at a suet feeder? I have other types of woodpeckers that feed, but have never seen these eating from one. Just close by. This Spring I bought a paddle feeder so they can balance with their tails better.
Teresa

beautiful - I saw one for the first time a few weeks ago - it was huge

Boojum,
Wonderful pictures! I have seen one hammering on a tree in a creek bed in the city limits of the city of Minneapolis. Four or five people were gathered under the tree, watching, and he just ignored us. I suppose size has its benefits.

Susan in Minneapolis

my husband refers to the pileated woodpecker as the kookaburra bird, due to it's jungle-like kak-kak-kak call! We have many of these birds at home in candia nh, and also at hermit lake, in sanbornton nh, where we have a lake property. they are wonderful, prehistoric looking birds. and they make big rectangular holes in rotting trees. they are not particularly shy, but we've never been able to get a picture. good work!

You give me hope that I might be able to get a photo of ours someday!! Great shots!

I used my zoom all the way in then cropped them to get them closer.

Beautiful pics! Looks like my "Woody"

New to forum but just had to comment when I saw these photos! I've had a Pileated Woodpecker in my yard in west central MN twice and both times it was on my willow tree. Wonder if it's because my willow has a lot of bugs?!

My willow is always rotting a branch so I'm sure they tend to have bugs! Willows are pretty (this one is 50') but what a pain to own!

Had an arborist out to look at some storm-damaged trees a week or so ago and, when I showed him the willow (mine has at least one big part that is no longer leafing out), he said that the damage could be due to ants and/or dry weather. Suppose that not having much rain would encourage the ants, too. My willow is still pretty small but it's been cut down once because of bugs. Am hoping the 2-year MN drought is over (we've had over 8-inches of rain since the beginning of September).

Wow!
Yeh, willows, man.