Gave Chase to a Pileated Woodpecker

[Loupey]

This is what I learned today:

1) All those exceptionally loud "woodpecker" sounds that I always thought were being made by pileateds are not. I tracked the sounds to a plain-jane downy woodpecker cracking his head on a hollowed out, tuned branch

2) Pileated can be found easier by sound rather than sight. After hearing one approach me in the woods, I turned around just in time to see it land on the opposite side of a nearby tree. It immediately scurried up beyond camera range; all the while just peaking around the tree like a squirrel. Tough to track!

3) Pileated "woodpeck" very slowly, deliberately, and almost silently (at least this one). She would move her head side to side to triangulate the exact location of her prey, then break apart the bark with great efficiently in a more of a peck/prying motion than a straight-forward pecking.

4) People look really frightened when they suddenly catch sight of a photographer off-trail running up towards them while trying to keep up with a pileated in flight

I followed this female from tree to tree to tree until it found a bug feast. I got to within 40'. Not the angle I would have chosen but I was ecstatic.

thanks for looking.

[Griggs]

Very cool, thanks for sharing. I've heard a woodpeck in my neighborhood and though I've never photographed birds before, its peeking my interest.

[Knight]

Good Captures Loupey , those are high on my list of Captures but i can never seem to get a worth wile shot at them. Well Captured

[mjs1973]

Thanks for sharing Loupey. I'm going to have to go hunting for these birds one of these days.

[Old Timer]

One of my big dreams is to get up close and personal with a pileated with a camera in my hands. Great captures Loupey.

[Copy_Kot]

This is what I learned today:

4) People look really frightened when they suddenly catch sight of a photographer off-trail running up towards them while trying to keep up with a pileated in flight

:lol: :lol: :lol: I wish I could have seen this.

Great shot's Loupey!!!

[Yarrow]

Nice shots Loupy.


There is this woodpecker in my yard and I caannot for the life of me find the little guy...its driving me insane

[paulnj]

I don't want to sound like a bragger but........

I see piliated WP's 3 times a week on average at work, but a chainsaw doesn't take good images Your info is good, but I will add to it.

Piliateds love to eat ants and peck a hole at the base of the tree and go up and herd the ants out the hole they made by tapping/ drumming. They are the loudest WP when actually making a hole to feed, but have their own rythum like all WP's do (for the most part). WP's can be ID'd for the most part by the sound of the drumming.


Great images of a very hard bird to get close to.

[Louis1]

You must have a great tele, Loupy. Nice job with those.

[Loupey]

Thanks, everyone, for looking and taking the time to comment.

Griggs, I hope you track down that woodpecker!

Knight, I'm sure you have other critters up there that will keep you and your new lens busy

mjs, thanks for looking. I'm a but surprised that they are here (busy metro area) but perhaps that keeps them land-locked.

OT, I'm sure that you will come across them when you least expect it

Copy, what made it even funnier was that I was squatting/leaning against the opposite side of a large tree when I shot the sequence. So when it took off and I came around the tree to see a large group of backpackers (about a dozen people), I don't think many of them didn't know I was even there. Several people further up the path probably thought I had a urinary emergency.

Yarrow, yeah that downy I mentioned in #1 was tracked to one large tree - I knew he was there yet I walked all the way around the tree trying to find him. Finally, I saw his moving head. Tough to spot!

Paulnj, good info - I'll pay more attention to the rhythm.

Louis1, I used a 300mm with 2x TC. Thanks for looking!

[Jaedon]

This is what I learned today:
4) People look really frightened when they suddenly catch sight of a photographer off-trail running up towards them while trying to keep up with a pileated in flight

LMAO why does this make me think of all those B-Horror movies where the character that has nothing to do with the movie runs by and everyone wonders what that was all about.

Aweosme work Loupey. I'm sure you'll get your bird soon enough now that you knwo where an dhow to find it.