Pileated woodpeckers | wordsfromanneli

February 18, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 40 Comments

Please watch this clip and see the ways,

I work so hard to try,

To feed myself in hungry days,

To make sure I don’t die.

The maple bark was way too clean,

It came apart with ease,

But nought was there for me to glean,

No breakfast bite to please.

I flitted to a nearby fir,

You see the different bark,

Its bumpy, roughness won’t deter,

My beak will find the mark.

Oh dear! I must take much more care,

To eat bugs ere they fly,

Right in my armpit, he did dare

To bite me. “Now you’ll die!”

Elusive little bug, you are,

But mind my bendy neck,

I’ll find you, and you won’t get far,

I’ll eat you with one peck.

January 10, 2026
by wordsfromanneli 25 Comments

Hungry?

Table is set

Who says there’s no free lunch?

Suet for me and seeds for you

Just right.

P.S. I just figured out why poets are encouraged to write cinquains. It’s to make sure they don’t ramble on too much.

Five lines with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables respectively.

August 29, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 46 Comments

Harvest Time

The squirrels have been harvesting hazelnuts from the trees and hiding them to be retrieved in the winter.

Along comes Woodrow the Woodpecker, innocently looking for bugs.

Ronald Rabbit knows the squirrels wouldn’t like their stash to be unearthed, but, “What to do? What to do?”

“Mind your own business, Ronald,” says Woodrow. “That’s “What to do’!”

“I’m telling,” shouts Ronald. “The people will let their dog out and then you’ll be sorry.” Meanwhile, I have one leg raised and ready to make a run for it.

“Look out, you guys! Here I come. And don’t forget! I may be a teddy bear in the house, but I’m a wolverine in the field.”

“Are you serious?” Woodrow calls to Ronald. “Now that the dog is out, we’ll all have to make a run for it.”

“Aw, do what you want. I’m going up here to higher ground and — oh! What have we here? A hole in the tree. Anybody home?”

And so life goes on … unless you’re a bug in that tree.

May 18, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 24 Comments

So glad the people left these stumps,

They’re like my dining room,

Without them I’d be in the dumps,

No food, just doom and gloom.

February 14, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 19 Comments

annoying critter

tries to feed on woodpecker

becomes lunch instead

January 11, 2025
by wordsfromanneli 32 Comments

The Opportunist

When it’s hard times with cold, wet weather, and not yet warm bug season, birds will take advantage of what’s available and not be too fussy.

See the feeders all refilled,

On this chilly day,

And the suet is replaced,

“Just in time,” I say.

Tastes a bit like greasy bugs,

Though not quite the same,

Filler of the feeding place,

I’m so glad you came.

December 16, 2024
by wordsfromanneli 28 Comments

P is for Pileated Woodpeckers, Pam and Patrick

“Ooh!” says Pam. “I see that handsome Patrick. See his red cheek slash? So manly!”

“Oh, Patrick! Do you like my little red Christmas hat?”

“Meh – it’s not bad, I guess,” says Patrick. “Wanna come down here and get some bugs out of this stump?”

“Actually, I think I see some at the end of this raised bed,” says Pam.

“Hmm. I guess that wasn’t what he wanted to hear. I’m not very good at this dating stuff.”

“Hmpf! Pam is playing hard-to-get. I’ll show her…as soon as I get that pesky bug off my shoulder…. Maybe she thinks I have dandruff.”

P is for Pam and Patrick the pileated woodpeckers. I’m sure they’ll find each other eventually.

September 7, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 51 Comments

Beggars and Choosers

I see something wiggling around in there. I need my breakfast so…. I guess I’ll peck away at it.

Here I go. It’s sure hard work to get a bite to eat. I wonder what I’ll find.

ACK! Beetle grubs and ants? You expect me to eat THAT?

Oh, well. I’m hungry and beggars can’t be choosers.

August 26, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 34 Comments

Pileated Woodpecker Visits Again

Folks, I want you to know that this year it has been great to visit Anneli’s garden. It’s quiet (she’s hardly ever out here), and it’s so-o-o-o … shall we say, to be polite … it’s “au naturel.”

She thinks it’s a mess, but to me, it looks better than ever. Bugs are hiding everywhere, under weeds she hasn’t cleared away. A smorgasbord for me!

As a matter of fact, I think I might have one of those little critters on me. “Well, surprise, surprise, little bugs. There’s no free ride on me! You will be on my dinner menu. Heh, heh, heh, haaa-hooo!”

Messy garden,

Perfect place,

I have dinner,

Leave no trace.

Bugs that crawl

Look fine to me,

On the ground

Or in the tree.

When the garden’s

Gone to h—,

I see bugs

That suit me well.

July 15, 2023
by wordsfromanneli 55 Comments

Mother and Daughter

Again, I was in a rush and didn’t get wonderful, clear photos, but you’re all so good at using your imagination and that’s what I’m counting on today.

The woodpeckers were back. It was Pam and what I thought last week was her sister. I’ve had my eyes opened because I got a better look at the “sister.” Turns out, it is most probably her baby, not her sister.

Pam is near the bottom of the tree here, and Junior is above her. Junior’s topknot is not a brilliant red yet, most likely for her own protection. She won’t be such a target for her enemies.

Pam is working hard, pecking open the bark to look for bugs. Junior is still afraid of giving herself a headache so she lets Mom do all the work.

Pam stops mid-peck and looks around.

“Do you see her, Junior?” she asks.

“See who?” Jr. says.

“Whom.”

“What?”

“See whom, not who? … Oh, never mind. Do you see the crazy lady with the camera? She’s always hanging around near the back door, and I thought I heard it open. I don’t mind her, but that black cocker spaniel is always wherever she is, and that dog LOVES birds – and before you say, ‘Oh that’s good,’ let me tell you, ‘No. That mutt likes birds, but not in a good way.'”