The Pileated Woodpecker has been a nemesis bird for my camera for a long time. I heard and saw them often at my old house in New York, but only had a decent photo op once, from across a creek while the sun was setting behind the bird.
My local Pileated Woodpecker from New York
Sure, it’s a nice enough photo, but it was the only time it happened — until I moved to Pennsylvania. My backyard is all wooded and backs into about an acre of a non-private, mature forest. With age comes dead trees and a ton of trees with dead limbs. I get a lot of Downy Woodpeckers, a couple of Hairy Woodpecker pairs, a Red-bellied pair and also Flickers – along with my favorite, the Pileated Woodpecker.
The Pileateds are very vocal – I often hear them banging on trees or making their “kuk kuk” sound. I can usually easily find them, especially when the leaves are not so full. There are two areas that they prefer – a very dead and large Oak tree behind my house and a dead stump in front of my house. I’ve gotten my best photos from these trees – especially the one in the back.
Just today, the female was flying from tree-to-tree all around the woods. Every tree she stopped on had either a dead limb or holes to inspect.
Female Pileated Woodpecker inspecting a hole
They are always finding really good grub to feast on!
The male Pileated Woodpecker with a mouth full of grub
Female Pileated Woodpecker with her tongue out
They really do make a mess – The large oak already has plenty of holes in it and it’s only a matter of time before it has no more bark left.
Male Pileated Woodpecker chipping away at the oak
Female Pileated Woodpecker making a mess on newly fallen snow
I take most of my photos from either one of my decks or from my bathroom window, which gets me a nice look at the top part of the dead oak. I can open the window and shoot away without disturbing the birds. They also never seem to mind me while they are busy chipping away at the trees, as long as I do not make any sudden motion toward them.
Pileated Woodpecker with her crest up
Female Pileated Woodpecker in a thin tree
Male Pileated Woodpecker
Female Pileated Woodpecker
I am so happy to share my yard with these wonderful birds!
I’m often highlight my backyard birds so today I will give my other backyard friends (and foes!) the spotlight. Along with the birds, I get a variety of mammals, amphibians and some reptiles. Having bird feeders attracts many of these non-avian guests – both predictable and unexpected.
My yard and woods are loaded with Squirrels, mostly Gray Squirrels along with Chipmunks and a couple of Red Squirrels.
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Chipmunk
Red Squirrel
I do not mind them foraging for fallen seed, but it was a long and frustrating process to fully squirrel-proof all of my feeders. I have also caught other visitors cleaning up messes that the birds leave.
Skunk foraging under my feeders at night
Northern Raccoon under my feeders at night
I get plenty of Eastern Cottontails and Groundhogs during the summer. Both of them seem to like to eat some of my nicer garden plants so I can’t say that I am too happy to have them hanging around; however, I realize that this is their home too.
Eastern Cottontail
Groundhog on my deck
My neighborhood gets a lot of White-tailed Deer.
White-tailed Deer
I’ve never had issues with them on my bird feeders, but I do have an even larger mammal who wants the seed.
Black Bear making his way to my feeders
Last year, a bear family of four visited us on multiple nights. This month was the first time I saw one of them during the day. We scared him away by making loud noises out the window.
Black Bear
I do have an unfortunate visitor as well. I found a mouse inside my home only once – after my cats already drowned it (don’t ask…). This particular one photographed below one made her nest in my grill cover when I had it folded under a table. I lifted the cover up and this mother mouse and her small babies fell out along with the nest. She quickly scurried away.
Mouse family
After she disappeared, I noticed that she left behind one of the babies! Even though it is just a mouse, I felt bad. I put the baby mouse and the nest inside a small box and left it near the bottom of my deck. Mom came for it shortly after and all were safe.
Mouse baby left behind
My best mammal visitors were a huge shock for me. I saw a Gray Fox walk past my yard one morning. I did get a couple of photos, but they were taken in a hurry. Later that day, I ran into an even bigger surprise as soon as I walked into the woods. I had TWO Foxes – a mom and her teenager.
Mom Gray Fox and her grown up Kit
All three of us stopped in our tracks. I was shaking when I took my initial photos, but they came out well enough. I ran across these foxes every day for a week and ended up getting some better photos, despite the dark, yet brightly back-lit woods.
Gray Fox
Young Gray Fox
I have one reptile yard visitor who I often find in my grass and under the rocks.
Ring-necked Snake
And many amphibians who visit – more so when I had a small pond in the back. I get American Toads, Tree Frogs, Wood Frogs and Peepers.
Eastern American Toad
Birds, Bears, Foxes and Frogs – I wonder who else will show up?
