Pileated woodpecker.
Had a little snow today. A little, as in light snow, moderately light snow, very light snow. By the time dog and I pulled into the Beech Hill Parking lot this afternoon, there must’ve been an inch of fresh snow on all the ice out there. A little snow on the vehicle in the lot already. No snow on the Pileated Woodpecker still gouging out holes in the big dead tree.
[Note: I’m starting this day to capitalize the common names of birds. Long have I resisted, but there are cases when it makes for clearer writing.]
Lone oak.
Heard a vocal Brown Creeper, then saw the little guy flitting between trees. Nearly tracked it down for a photo, but then it flitted away.
Another car pulled in the lot as we started up. Met a bunch of other hikers up there, in fact, taking advantage of a snowy end-of-year vacation day. Also heard a flicker.
It warmed up above freezing this evening.
Beginning at 3:15 p.m, I hiked the open trail.
1. Pileated Woodpecker
2. Brown Creeper
3. Black-capped Chickadee**
4. Northern Flicker (v)
Elsewhere
5. American Crow
6. Herring Gull
v = Voice only
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, herring gull, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker
