We watched 4 Pileated woodpeckers courting in our yard as close as 6 feet from the house. What a site to see. They played and courted for probably 15 minutes what a sight to see. It seemed that once a pair were courting more male came to try. We took pictures but through the glass and screen of our french doors because we didn't want to chase them off opening the doors. If the pics turn out I will try and post a couple. We watched a pair of wild mallards mating right in our driveway. (Now to find their nest) And we don't even live very close water. We have a small creek perhaps a quarter mile away. Pileated woodpecker Pileated woodpecker Now we think they are nesting very close to us. Barb in Pa.
Wow ... that would be great having a nest nearby! Those birds are getting rare in these parts, and when you DO see one they are very camera shy.
Well, these guys weren't thinking about us, they were thinking about something else. He was picking up a large pine cone and doing a dance and throwing it up in the air for her. It was a very cool dance. Barb in Pa.
Oh WOW Barb I bet that was really neat to see. A couple of weeks ago we had a male and female at our dead stumps in the front yard and back. I thought that was a thrill. But seeing them courting would be the iceing on the cake.
Taking photos through screens and/or glass can be 'tricky', especially with auto-focus cameras; the auto-focus system will attempt to focus on the screen wire or a reflection in the glass... Just something to be aware of.. Incidents like that are so rarely seen by us humans that we do (and should) feel blessed when we see them.. Good work, Barb, makes you wish you had a video camera handy, huh? Hank
So I drove down the driveway this morning and there it was again.... more woodpecker sex...... I couldn't get my camera out fast enough. This time it was through the car windshield. It didn't work at all. Wow, are they spectacular birds. I love them. Henry Johnson but at lease I got some shots for proof. I have never claimed to be a photographer though I must admit, all of our members make me drool in the photo dept and make me have an interest. When I was married to the photo pro, the ex, I had no interest. Oh well. So in the last few days we have had 2 multi Piliated Woodpecker sightings, a pair of Mallard Ducks mating in our driveway and all over our yard, a hawk of some kind trying to 'git a wabbit' and a bear and baby just nosing around. We could live in the woods but not really. Barb in Pa.
