Reader’s redheaded visitor

Another example of how lucky we are to have diverse wildlife on the ground and in the air over West Seattle … WSB reader Luckie e-mailed us photos of woodpeckers she’d never seen around her house before. This one, we recognize as a pileated woodpecker; we see them occasionally, though Northern Flickers are more common. Seems they like ants; we’re plagued by more of those this year, so maybe that explains it.

Reminder for all our fellow bird fans, the West Seattle Birdcam is still going strong; you can check it out any time from our WS “Live” Cams page, and its operators have a photoblog, also accessible any time from our Other Blogs in WS page.

RobertSeattle August 9, 2007 (12:20 pm)

I’m always amused when woodpeckers peck on the metal of my neighbor’s chimney – it sounds like a machine gun going off. Whatis the bird thinking?

Flowerpetal August 9, 2007 (2:09 pm)

Woodpeckers drum on metal chimney caps for two reasons. First it is a way to establish territory. The other reason is to attract a mate. I guess if you are a woodpecker you like that sort of noise. Our neighbor’s chimney cap gets that attention every spring.
Its exciting to see a Pileated woodpecker in WS. I have on occassion seen them in Lincoln Park, and more often heard their pecking. Because they are such large woodpeckers, there pecking is distinctive and sounds like wood being chopped. The only down side to the pileated is that they sometimes fancy pecking into the siding of a house.

miws August 9, 2007 (7:12 pm)

I understand female woodpeckers really dig a male that can peck out a killer version of [i]Inna Gadda Davida[/i] on a metal chimney cap!

Mike

miws August 9, 2007 (7:14 pm)

Ooooops! Used the wrong style of tags trying to italicize! :O

Mike

jumbo jim August 9, 2007 (10:31 pm)

Helps if the guy woodpecker is good at doing the Woody Woodpecker laugh too. Gets the chicks every time!

MargL August 11, 2007 (4:35 pm)

No birds on the WSBirdcam since the 2nd? Bummer. We had a flock of bushtits come through the yard this morning. Funny little birds with a funny little name. Also saw the albino crow at Thistle and California last weekend. Thought it was a pigeon at first.

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