February 23rd, 2011

It’s been weeks since I’ve seen her, or either of the two “hims”. As of today, I officially declare MIA (missing in action) my RBWP (AOU – American Ornithologists’ Union abbreviation for the red-bellied woodpecker). Since November I’ve had 2 male and one female red-bellied woodpeckers at my feeders at Blair. They are beautiful birds – the “zebra” woodpecker as it is sometimes called for the white barring across its black back. It is not a species common in the Blair area, although it thrives in various other locales throughout Waterloo County. I’ve not seen any of “my” birds since February 8. Perhaps they are transient and have moved on; perhaps one of the neighbours’ feeders are more appealing than mine (can’t imagine that); perhaps – no not that – the local Coopers hawk has made a meal of them.  Maybe they’ll be back…

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-bellied_Woodpecker/id

Today was an otherwise great day for woodpeckers, the kids got to see both the downy and hairy at the forest feeders playing peek-a-boo from behind the suet cage. And a crow-sized pileated woodpecker flashed past my office window at about 3 pm – an unusual spot for such a sighting. We heard one calling while out walking with friends yesterday, but weren’t able to locate it, so this was icing on the cake.

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