Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Early Morning Visitor

As I was heading out to my car, leaving for work this morning, I heard the "wolka - wolka-wolka" call coming from the north. Scanning the sky - there it was - a pileated woodpecker. It flew over the house and landed somewhere in the backyard. I went back inside and spotted it on the poplar tree on the hill. Then it flew to the birdbath, not the suet feeder like I expected. This is the third time the bird has come early in the morning - just about 8 a.m. I've read that pileated woodpeckers have a large territory - over 100 acres. (according to Birds of Minnesota and Wisconsin by Jansen, Tessen and Kennedy) It also says, "Because they require a large home territory, these magnificent birds are not encountered with much frequency." The suet and fresh, liquid water seem to be a way to get the bird to come back to the yard with some regularity.

If you give them want they need, they will come...(sometimes.)

No comments:

Post a Comment