Meet the Pileated Woodpecker
Join me as I share some of the science behind the our largest woodpecker, the amazing Pileated! I'll show you tips for identification, share this bird's specialized feeding habits, and peek at a nest cavity to view Pileated youngsters! I will share details regarding the unique anatomical adaptations that allows this woodpecker to excavate deep holes into trees without suffering a concussion (or needing a hefty dose of headache relief!).


Pileated woodpeckers can be found throughout our area and I hope that by providing you with some keys to look and listen for, you can find them on your outings; whether in the forest or in your neighborhood.
Get outdoors, and stay curious!!!

Ed

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beguiling Beauty: the Death Cap

Image
  Autumn is when mushroom enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest are bent low to the ground sleuthing for fruiting bodies of fungi that are popping up everywhere.  Fortunately for foragers and harvesters there are few (three) mushrooms that are deadly poisonous.  Let's get acquainted with the enticing but toxic Death Cap (Amanita phalloides).  The Death Cap is found low to the ground and has elegant proportions with a bell shaped cap that is pale olive green with a luster that often looks metallic.  The gills are white as are the spores (observe the white spore print that I have included); spore color is an important feature in determining mushroom types.  Notice the sac-like volva at the base of this mushroom: not all mushrooms have this feature but all Death Caps have volvas!   The toxin in this Amanita is a potent cyclopeptide called amanitin.  Amanitin disrupts the function of protein enzymes that leads to liver and kidney failure.  The onset of symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting
Read more and watch the video »

Washington Trails Association Article

Image
I nterested in learning about the birds you see and hear on the trail? I recently did this collaborative with Washington Trails Association on birding and hiking, check it out! It will add a new dimension to your hiking enjoyment. WTA.ORG Bird Watching Hikes in Washington: Where to See Birds, Birbs and Borbs Bird  https://www.wta.org/go-outside/seasonal-hikes/fall-destinations/bird-watching-hikes-in-washington
Read more and watch the video »

August 19th Owl Prowl and the sad loss of one of our Barred Owls

Image
 Our Barn owl family has been very vocal in Seward Park: three hungry juveniles and busy parents trying to keep their offspring fed and satisfied.  Join me at 8:00 pm this Thursday in Seward Park by the restroom adjacent to the Audubon center and we will watch the excitement! Please email me to register at edomino.ed@gmail.com  $25.00 per person please. On a sad note, last week I found one of our barn owls dead on the lake trail just north of the pottery studio.  She had puncture wounds to the neck and face and right beside her was a fresh pile of dog poop (no hair, ruling out coyote).  She and her mate were strongly pair-bonded and my owl prowl participants have viewed them for months sitting side-by-side on tree branches, grooming one another, and acting, well, like lovebirds!  Sunday morning on a Bird Outing I led with our Audubon Center, we saw the male (the smaller of the two) on a branch just above us.  We enjoyed a nice long viewing as he winked, scratched his head, had a good p
Read more and watch the video »