My garden is a tangled mess this year because I’ve hurt my back and can’t bend down to pull out the weeds. (That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it.) The flowers have been so generous about hiding the weeds until I’m feeling better. They’ve done such a good job that no self-respecting bird would think it was a place for humans only. One of my visitors recognized it immediately as “tamed gone wild” and made himself at home there. He exuded confidence and a sense of ownership, only knocking once he was already in the door.
What he knocked on was once a huge fir that stood too close to our house. We had to cut it down many years ago and only a low stump was left. After today, I’m glad, for the first time, that we didn’t try to auger out the stump and get rid of it. Apparently it made a good dinner table for Woody, the pileated woodpecker. The spellchecker insists on calling him a pillaged woodpecker, and it is partly true. He does have a pillaging nature.
“Pillaging? … Me? A bird’s gotta eat!”
“Now, hold on just a minute. I think some of my dinner fell off the table top.”
“Do you think it would be polite to crawl under there to get it? I suppose if it fell on the floor, I should leave it … but it looks so good.”
“Hmm … What to do … what to do???”
“Oh, to heck with it. I think I can get it from up here. I’m gonna go for it.”
Stay tuned for the next installment, coming soon to a computer near you.
P.S. I have just found out that the male pileated woodpecker has the red malar stripe (moustache), while the female does not have it. So this is definitely MR Woodpecker.
June 28, 2018 at 5:22 pm
I’m sorry to hear you injured your back, but the garden looks lovely, Anneli. Great shots of the Woodpecker! He’s handsome!
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June 28, 2018 at 5:23 pm
Thanks, Jill. I was taking out the garbage when he flew in, just a few feet in front of me. I quickly forgot about the garbage and ran for the camera.
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June 28, 2018 at 5:40 pm
Determined fellow. I love the red head.
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June 28, 2018 at 5:43 pm
Flashy fellow, isn’t he?
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June 28, 2018 at 5:48 pm
Tamed gone wild is also one of my favourite phrases to describe our yard. Sorry to hear about your back. That can really slow you down with weeding, Anneli. Best wishes! Peter
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June 28, 2018 at 5:53 pm
Hopefully it’s just a temporary thing. A pulled muscle. Thanks, Peter. Sure glad the flowers are covering for me.
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June 28, 2018 at 7:55 pm
Yes, better that he have the ants that the stump is probably attracting than the ants chewing on your plants!
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June 28, 2018 at 8:37 pm
You’re so right. Most birds do a lot of good.
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June 28, 2018 at 7:57 pm
Those “little” injuries surely can nag, can’t they? I’m glad you have such delights around you to make the recovery process a little less taxing. The woodpecker’s wonderful. I’ve only seen one in all my years, but I suspect if another ever flies in I’ll notice it. Wonderful photos.
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June 28, 2018 at 8:38 pm
We have several kinds of woodpeckers in the area, but most of the time they don’t sit still long enough to be photographed. Even so, this one was constantly moving his head around. But it was a thrill to see him.
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June 28, 2018 at 8:16 pm
That’s one pretty bird! I hope your back starts feeling better even though the weeds don’t.
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June 28, 2018 at 8:36 pm
Thanks, Terry. I’ll soon be over it. Just lifted things that were too heavy. But after that, look out weeds!
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June 28, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Great pics of the “pillaged” woodpecker! Heehee… You are so lucky that he stayed around for the photo shoot.
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June 28, 2018 at 8:51 pm
Yes, I sure am. And thank you for finding the “pillaged” connection.
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June 29, 2018 at 4:50 am
What a wonderful dinner guest! They don’t often pose so close to the ground. Nice shots.
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June 29, 2018 at 6:58 am
I was surprised he didn’t fly away sooner. If only he wouldn’t move so fast!
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June 29, 2018 at 6:40 am
Great pictures of the woodpecker, Anneli. 🙂 And don’t worry about the state of the garden: nature loves it to take over. I keep my fingers crossed that your back will be better again soon.
Have a great weekend,
Pit
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June 29, 2018 at 6:56 am
Feeling a bit better every day. In the meantime it’s raining anyway, so maybe it will all work out.
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June 29, 2018 at 8:00 am
I wish we had any rain here!
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June 29, 2018 at 6:52 am
Woody is a cutie, and clearly this was meant to be. You were brought together by forces beyond us. LOL
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June 29, 2018 at 6:55 am
What a nice thought!
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June 29, 2018 at 7:32 am
Such a myriad of birds near you. That’s why I was shocked when that rainbow colored one landed in the tree above me. We don’t have multiple species here. We did in Florida though.
BTW, remember when I wanted to know what that one plant was and I asked you on my blog? I thought it was dogwood? Well, the lady who lives in that house with those plants was outside when we walked by with Max the other day. I asked her about them. I thought she said they are Japanese Spice Plants. I looked them up online and can’t find a similar picture. She said they only bloom for about two weeks. We walked by when they bloomed and they smelled like jasmine.
Just thought I’d let you know.
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June 29, 2018 at 7:45 am
Isn’t that funny? Just the other day I was going through photos in my Downloads folder and came across that one. I was annoyed with myself that I still hadn’t found out what it was. Thanks for letting me know about it. I’m not familiar with that plant. Have a great weekend, Lori.
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June 29, 2018 at 8:39 am
What a beautiful little guy – great photos. 🙂
I hope you feel better soon – back problems are just so nasty.
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June 29, 2018 at 11:39 am
I love wild gardens! I have a few of my own! Sorry to hear about your back. That can be painful!!
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June 29, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Let’s you know you’re alive, all right. 😉
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June 30, 2018 at 6:08 am
Your garden looks beautiful to me, Anneli. That woodpecker is one big bird! And so pretty.
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June 30, 2018 at 6:59 am
Thanks, Jennie. Yes, these woodpeckers are a good size! I love seeing them.
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June 30, 2018 at 3:14 pm
And so did I! 🙂
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