​This is the fourth part in a four-part series.  I wish to read from​ Part I / Part II / Part III

 This story tracks the life of a young Pileated Woodpecker  Dryocopus pileatus family living in a Beech-Maple forest of Southern Ontario.
  Recalling the brood, first observed in late May 2016, there were always only two nestlings peering out of the tree.  Early on, I saw the mother fly away with something quite large and round in her bill.  Was it perhaps a nestling who did not make it?  In contrast to this, on June 12th, while the two were quite content to remain where they were, I heard a strong and clear, yet slightly weaker, version of the parents' call, coming from somewhere close to the nest. Following the sound, about 15 feet off the ground I discovered a little one clinging to an adjacent tree.  Had this one fallen out prematurely, or was she stronger, with an accelerated development?  The next day I observed her high up in a different tree not far from the first. Could she fly?

  This painting portrays the fledgling that I observed clinging to a tree trunk near the nest on June 12, 2016.  In between vigorous calls of "cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk", she would groom and stretch out her wings.  The parents would answer her calls, then, arrive with sustenance. 

​ My husband and I, with SLR paraphernalia in hand, made several visits to the nest throughout the development of the 2016 woodpecker family.  With their feathers breaking sheath around June 15th, it wasn't long before all of the nestlings had left the nesting cavity.  By the end of the month I didn't catch sight of them again, but right up until the later part of July, I would hear a commotion of Pileated sound in the vicinity.

​  I stopped in to check on the nestlings a couple of mornings this week.  Without sight or sound, I have come to the conclusion that they have fledged.  Having anticipated their departure between June 26th and 28th, it seems they have left 2-6 days earlier than expected.​

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If you would like to learn more about
Pileated Woodpecker nesting behaviour
​in Eastern North America,
check out nature photographer, 
​Pamela Dimeler's You Tube channel.

This is the third part in a four-part series.  I wish to read from​ Part I  /  Part II

​  This story tracks the life of a young Pileated Woodpecker  Dryocopus pileatus family living in a Beech-Maple forest of Southern Ontario.
  After first discovering this feathered family in late May 2016, I made several trips at various times of day to observe their development.  I noticed that over time their feeding pattern changed.  Initially, the parents entered the nest to feed their young, but once the nestlings were strong enough to peer out of the entrance the parents no longer entered.  They would still land in a nearby tree to first survey the area before arriving at the hole, but instead of entering, they would clinging to the outside of the tree using their tail as support.  When I observed them on June 12th, a much abbreviated feeding was followed by the mother moving around to the side so that her infants had to strain to find her.  By June 16th, the parents were no longer landing at the cavity entrance.  They would call, to get the attention of their young, then land on the opposite side of the tree trunk, offering food only after a juvenile craned to receive it.
  
  In this painting mother encourages her now very vocal youth out of the nest with tasty morsels.

​  I would put this nestling at to 26-28 days old, based on my dates of observation and the nesting period information given in "Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds", by Paul J. Baicich and Colin J. O. Harrison (2nd edition, 2005).

​  ​  It was June 9, 2017 when I last saw my pileated friends.  Deli and I stopped in to check on them mid-week.  When we arrived a blackbird, perhaps a Common Grackle, was hovering around at the entrance.  I heard the young ones chattering within, but saw no adults come to their aid.  The blackbird came and went a couple of times, then left the little ones alone.  
  Today, June 17th, I arrived to a commotion!  I saw flight away from the nest, accompanied by a call that continued for an exceptional length of time.  The call moved about.  Then, a very large, stalky bird flew toward the nest, with one of the pileated parents in hot pursuit.  Was it an owl?  A hawk?  A Northern Goshawk perhaps?  Once successfully chased away the other pileated parent remained watchful in the branches overhead until the coast was clear, then flew away.  
  Shortly after the predatory threat a parent came with food, to the benefit of only one offspring.  This very brief feeding was the only one during my hour of observation.  Following the parent's departure, as the nestlings took turns watching they would utter quiet, worried-sounding coos with the occasional, adult-like call.  
  There are definitely two birds up there, a female and a male.  They have grown so much in such a short time, now developed beyond their baby faces of the 2016 brood represented in the "Nestlings" painting.  They are constantly looking around and about.  Is this simple pining, or are they developing their powers of observation and navigation?   At times these restless nestlings lean out quite far and it strikes me that they may be ready to 'fly the coop' by the end of the day!  Once they leave their safe abode they will have to figure out how to navigate the new, wide wild world.  How do their parents demonstrate such complexity to their young?  Are there overt displays like there are during courtship?
  For the most part the two young ones took turns being lookouts, but an hour is a long time to wait for parental comfort, so by the time I was preparing to leave, the soon-to-fledge pair both took to their post, and behind them, ... did I just see the movement of a third?

I wish to read "Pileated Woodpecker - Part IV"

Prints and cards are available from Archival Prints & Art Cards
If there is an image you are interested in purchasing that is not showing in the store, ​
​please contact me, as I will do my best to accommodate.

This is the second part in a four-part series.  I wish to read from​ Part I

​This story tracks the life of a young Pileated Woodpecker  Dryocopus pileatus family living in a Beech-Maple forest of Southern Ontario.
  It was June 3, 2016 when I first witnessed the two nestlings, blind and featherless, with their heads poking out of the hole, begging for food.  While eagerly awaiting their parents' return, they had built up strength to scale the cavity wall and gather at the entrance.  Both mother and father now worked tirelessly – foraging, flying, and feeding – to keep their rapidly growing nestlings nourished.  By June 11th the little ones were covered in black down.  They had vibrant red crests and their eyes were open, bright & lively.  They even had mustaches with traces of colour to reveal their genders.

  This painting genuinely portrays the joyful expressions of the two nestlings I had the pleasure and privilege of observing.

​  I would put these nestlings at just under 2 weeks old, based on my dates of observation and the nesting period information given in "Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds", by Paul J. Baicich and Colin J. O. Harrison (2nd edition, 2005).

  Apr 22, 2017 the day began with wood chips in my hair -- a new nest for a new family.  Continuing the account of this year's family (see "Pileated Woodpecker - Part I") . . .
  What struck me about the sighting on May 31, 2017, was how swift and quiet the exchange had been.  If I hadn't been watching closely, I would have missed it altogether.  My recollection of the previous year was that while the arrivals and departures were always swift, they were heralded with vigorous announcements of "cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk-cuk". Then I wondered, perhaps when the nestlings are most vulnerable, the parents do everything they can to prevent predator awareness.  Certainly, they always check the trees and the sky before entering and leaving the cavity.
  I've been noticing that when both male and female parents are visiting the nest in turn, they arrive and depart in opposite directions.  Is this a strategy to avoid competition for resources?  Perhaps it is also a strategy to minimize predator awareness - not taking the same route to and from the nest?  These questions provoked others:  Does each bird maintain it's own territory year-round?  Do they part ways after child-rearing?  Are they monogomous?  Such questions find answers in "The Birder's Handbook  A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds", by Paul R. Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin, & Darryl Wheye (1988).  According to this book, Yes!  "Year-round territory and pair bond.”  So, this suggests that the parents I am observing now are the individuals we got to know a year ago.  "Hello!  It's so nice to see you again!"  : D  
  In the evening of June 8, 2017 Steve, Deli & myself went out to check on the family.  We weren't there very long when mama woodpecker landed on a nearby tree and watchfully made her way to the nest.  Before arriving at the entrance three little heads popped up, chattering fiercely.  The next morning I went back to get a better look.  The female parent made meal trips several times during the course of an hour, with each feeding lasting not more than a minute.  Nestling development seems to be one week behind what it was last year.  Perhaps this is weather-related, with last spring being so much warmer and dryer than this one has been?

I wish to read "Pileated Woodpecker - Part III"

This is the first part in a four-part series.

  This story tracks the life of a young Pileated Woodpecker  Dryocopus pileatus family living in a Beech-Maple forest of Southern Ontario.
  Late May 2016, while taking an early morning walk along my favourite woodsy trail, I caught sight of a Pileated Woodpecker flying towards a hole in the trunk of a dead American Beech tree.  Facing south, the hole was about 40 feet up from the ground.  Calling, this impressive bird with a black mustache landed on the trunk by the hole.  As she did so the head of another popped out!  This second woodpecker had a red mustache.  After a brief intermingling of calls and wings, the male -- who had been inside the hole -- flew off, and the female entered. Then, all was still.  
  As you can well imagine, following such a sight I took every opportunity to walk the trail and linger at the base of this old tree.  Observing, I realized that these two birds were taking turns inside the tree -- the male entering at dusk and the female at dawn.  They were incubating their eggs!  
  Somewhere close to the beginning of June this pattern changed.  Tirelessly, both black & red-mustached birds came and went.  Each bird arrived with something in its bill, disappeared into the hole, then shortly after poked its head out.  And, in the blink of an eye flew off, empty-billed. 

  It was June 3, 2016 when I first witnessed their two nestlings, blind & featherless, poking their heads out, begging for food.​  Here, the father feeds them regurgitated insects.  

 
​  With their eyes yet closed, I would put these nestlings at 4-6 days old, based on my dates of observation and the nesting period information given in "Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds", by Paul J. Baicich and Colin J. O. Harrison (2nd edition, 2005).

This year, Apr 22, 2017, while standing under a living Black Cherry tree just a little further down the path, I was showered with little bits of wood -- the cause, a male Dryocopus pileatus  Pileated Woodpecker excavating a new nest!

  May 27, 2017, I sat at the base of a maple tree where I could have a good view of the Black Cherry nest.  Our boxer/bulldog, Deli (alias McGuffin), sat with me.  She sat so still that a young fox came up within 10 feet of us!  When the fox became aware of our presence, s/he stopped and took a good look - then, looped away, stopped to look again, looped further, ...  Deli kept her eyes on the fox the whole time, with rear legs trembling, but not making any gesture of pursuit.  What an awesome dog!
  Meanwhile, I missed what I think may have been an exchange of the two parent woodpeckers at the nest.  I only caught sight of a large, dark bird flying away.  It could have been a crow, but the departure was followed by muffled mewing/begging sounds in the vicinity of the tree.  Are the woodpecker nestlings born?
  Deli and I returned on May 31st.  We waited a good 20 minutes, watching squirrels in a frenzy of activity, without any sign of the woodpeckers.  Then, just as we were about to leave, one adult flew in from the ENE.  Upon arrival, another from the inside peered out and then flew off in the opposite direction.  It was after the arriving adult entered the cavity that the begging began, with more gusto than during our previous visit.  Yes!  The nestlings are alive and well!
  June 3rd revealed that the parents are now able to cling to the edge of the entrance and tip down inside in dabbling duck fashion to feed their young.  Unlike last year, the nestlings are not yet peering out of the hole. 

​I wish to read​ "Pileated Woodpecker - Part II"