Go Back   Winnipesaukee Forum > Winnipesaukee Forums > Winni Wildlife
Home Forums Gallery Webcams Blogs YouTube Channel Classifieds Calendar Register FAQDonate Members List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-29-2016, 07:24 PM   #1
Mskelt
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 16
Thanks: 13
Thanked 23 Times in 7 Posts
Default pileated woodpecker!!!

I can not believe the size of this species of woodpecker. This was my first sighting. A male about the size of a seagull was pecking away at an old birch tree so vigorously that it looked like it was snowing! Has anyone else one?
Mskelt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2016, 08:01 PM   #2
Winnisquamer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Winnisquam
Posts: 408
Thanks: 72
Thanked 115 Times in 73 Posts
Default

I have one behind my house that I watch.. It's amazing to watch them up close, I would guess a few of the trees he's gotten too surely will be falling down soon however. And you're right the size of them is impressive!
Winnisquamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2016, 08:30 PM   #3
rick35
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Bear Island/Merrimack
Posts: 707
Thanks: 54
Thanked 170 Times in 104 Posts
Default

We have a couple of pileated woodpeckers in our yard in Merrimack and they are big birds. You can tell they're around from the pecking sound and from their call which kind of sounds like a monkey screeching. I haven't seen any on Bear but i've heard their call nearby.
rick35 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-29-2016, 10:45 PM   #4
Barney Bear
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 962
Thanks: 495
Thanked 273 Times in 174 Posts
Default Knock Knock

In previous years, we have had pileated woodpeckers visit a dead tree behind our cottage on East Bear Island. The old tree came down during the winter. This year, bald eagles and large crows have flown by squaking loudly as they passed overhead. 🐻
Barney Bear is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2016, 05:29 AM   #5
Cindido
Senior Member
 
Cindido's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Wolfeboro
Posts: 157
Thanks: 222
Thanked 57 Times in 32 Posts
Default

We have multiple pileated woodpeckers who visit our property regularly in Alton Bay. Always stop whatever I'm doing to watch them - amazing.
Cindido is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Old 05-30-2016, 06:27 AM   #6
webmaster
Moderator
 
webmaster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,426
Blog Entries: 1
Thanks: 437
Thanked 3,691 Times in 819 Posts
Default

Pictures and videos in these threads:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ad.php?t=14982

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ead.php?t=9908

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ad.php?t=19115
webmaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2016, 07:05 AM   #7
rgilfert
Senior Member
 
rgilfert's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Bedford, NH / Rattlesnake Island
Posts: 299
Thanks: 152
Thanked 227 Times in 57 Posts
Default Hammering Away

I got this shot a couple of days ago through our bedroom window ....
Attached Images
 
rgilfert is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to rgilfert For This Useful Post:
Hillcountry (05-30-2016), secondcurve (05-30-2016)
Old 05-30-2016, 08:02 AM   #8
DRH
Senior Member
 
DRH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Meredith
Posts: 1,666
Thanks: 1,169
Thanked 655 Times in 173 Posts
Default

Pileated woodpeckers are certainly impressive looking birds, but it's never a good thing to see them pecking away on a tree in your yard. They are after insects, and they have the ability to smell or hear insects deep within the tree.

Pileated woodpeckers are relatively common in this area, and over the years we have seen a number of them in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, as Mskelt and Winnisquamer suggested, pileated woodpeckers often inflict significant damage to trees and can leave large holes in the trees they find insects in.

In our yard, several living white birches that were "attacked" by pileated woodpeckers were damaged to such a degree that they had to be taken down. In other spots in our neighborhood a number of white pines are full of large pileated woodpecker holes and have died, but are still standing. In past years, a couple white pines that were badly damaged by pileated woodpeckers were taken down by NHEC for fear they would fall on the power lines along the road.

So, while they are magnificent to see and watch, it's usually not good when they come to your yard for lunch.
__________________
DRH
DRH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2016, 08:59 AM   #9
Hillcountry
Senior Member
 
Hillcountry's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: In the hills
Posts: 2,338
Thanks: 1,566
Thanked 761 Times in 456 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DRH View Post
Pileated woodpeckers are certainly impressive looking birds, but it's never a good thing to see them pecking away on a tree in your yard. They are after insects, and they have the ability to smell or hear insects deep within the tree.

Pileated woodpeckers are relatively common in this area, and over the years we have seen a number of them in our neighborhood. Unfortunately, as Mskelt and Winnisquamer suggested, pileated woodpeckers often inflict significant damage to trees and can leave large holes in the trees they find insects in.

In our yard, several living white birches that were "attacked" by pileated woodpeckers were damaged to such a degree that they had to be taken down. In other spots in our neighborhood a number of white pines are full of large pileated woodpecker holes and have died, but are still standing. In past years, a couple white pines that were badly damaged by pileated woodpeckers were taken down by NHEC for fear they would fall on the power lines along the road.

So, while they are magnificent to see and watch, it's usually not good when they come to your yard for lunch.

Firewood!
Hillcountry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2016, 12:06 PM   #10
DRH
Senior Member
 
DRH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Meredith
Posts: 1,666
Thanks: 1,169
Thanked 655 Times in 173 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillcountry View Post
Firewood!
Yep, that's true!
__________________
DRH
DRH is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

This page was generated in 0.22614 seconds