Lady Pileated Woodpecker

Pileated Woodpecker, the yard, Kennebunk Maine.

Yesterday I went to the kitchen to see about some coffee, and there was a squirrel on the bird feeders. I opened the back deck door to chase him away, and before I got it closed, a Chipping Sparrow in nice fresh spring plumage landed on the deck rail. I popped back to my room for the camera, but, of course, the sparrow was gone when I got back. I was about to close the door when movement along the the tree line that separates our back yard from the next caught my eye. Wooo! Big bird! A Pileated Woodpecker was low on the trunk of one of the trees, less than 3 feet from the ground. How often does that happen when you have your camera in you hand?

I know we have at least one pair of Pileateds living in the neighborhood. I hear them drumming on occasion, and rarely catch glimpses of them when walking. This is only the 2nd time one has been in our yard though, and the first was several years ago. That was a male, and this, clearly, is a female. I would love to have then nesting in the yard, or to know exactly where the nest is. This one stayed about 2 minutes, and then flew off over the house toward the woodlots along the rail-road track. It was indeed a pleasure to see it…and a real treat to get a photo.

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. ISO 640 @ 1/250th @ f4. Processed in Polarr. 

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