September 11, 2009 - 2
Cool sighting of the week:There's a large woodpecker type of bird that's been flying over the backyard recently. It looked big, but not too big, so I was thinking that it must be a northern flicker which is common to this backyard. I even checked some bird call CDs and had convinced myself that the call I was hearing was that of the flicker. Then, suddenly, last Sunday morning while getting ready for the big Labor Day Party, it happened again. The same bird flew over making its same calling sound and this time I could see as plain as day that it was an enormous pileated woodpecker! Measuring up to eighteen inches, the pileated woodpecker is mostly black with a bright red crest. The male is identified by a red patch on the black line at the base of its bill while the female's patch is all black. Feeding on carpenter ants, beetles, other insects, seeds and fruit, the pileated is also known to frequent suet feeders. Though you'll probably need a big one! Either way, woika, woika, woika, catching sight of an enormous pileated woodpecker over the backyard this week was very cool!
Heard on WDVR FM every Friday at 3PM during Anything Goes!