Pileated Woodpecker

I mentioned that I came upon a Pileated Woodpecker over at Cowenesque Lake yesterday afternoon. It was chiseling away at the base of some white pines near the parking are for the Mosquito Trail off the northwest corner of the lake. It was difficult to get the camera to focus upon the bird because it was so low down at the base of the trees and some shrubbery kept getting in the way. Luckily we are now in the digital age and the cost of developing film and the prayers required to yield a positive outcome are no longer needed. I took 15 pictures as quickly as I could and hoped the camera's auto focus would get on the bird on more than one occasion. It did. Twice.

Pileated Work Site

There were several 2 inch wide, 3 inch long oval holes cut into the pines. As you can see, the brush in the foreground made photographing the bird a challenge. It (the bird) is over on the right behind the shrubs.

Pileated Woodpecker

The bird was so intent upon its work that I could move around pretty freely as long as I did so slowly. I got to within 15 feet of the bird and shot picture after picture.

Pileated Woodpecker

Of the 15 pictures these were the only three that were worth keeping. Either the camera would focus on the brush and not the bird or the damn bird would duck behind the tree just as I pushed the button or it would start hammering away at the tree. Even on the sports action setting, the camera was not fast enough to freeze the head movement.