Well, this is the PICUS blog...

so I thought I ought to occassionally write something about woodpeckers.

You may already know (either by knowing me or from an earlier post) that I am a woodpecker fanatic. I am certainly no expert on them, but I really enjoy and appreciate them, and must admit to having read several books, species accounts, etc. about various members of the family. Also, in the last few years I have travelled to see all the US species except the Nuttall's, which I will be doing in two weeks, and the Ivory-billed, which is nothing more than a dream right now. Pamela can tell you, it's hard to pull me away from Red-bellied or even a Hairy Woodpecker, never mind something like a Red-headed or Pileated Woodpecker. (And I joke about Downy Woodpeckers being the runt, or songbird, or dickie-bird of the family, but I still have a few feeders at work that are there just for them and I look out that window every chance I get.)

I am anxiously awaiting the publication of the Peterson Guide to the Woodpeckers of North America, which is being written/edited by Stephen Shunk of Paradise Birding in Oregon. (No publication date yet as far as I know) The man knows his woodpeckers, and is a great guide. I went on one of his "Woodpecker Wonderland Weekend" trips a few years ago, and I've wanted to do it again ever since. Unfortunatley, this year won't be the year, with trips in the works for Big Bend in April and our Alaska Cruise honeymoon in September. Maybe next year...

And now, your woodpecker moment of zen...



Please pardon the "shakiness" of the video - the camera was hand-held to the eyepiece of my spotting scope so that I could keep a comfortable distance from them.