The Pileated Pole Specialist and a Moon in the Clouds

I have often seen and heard a Pileated Woodpecker pounding on the telephone/hydro poles outside my home. Yesterday the male landed on the pole right outside the door and proceeded to work his way down the pole. He was not drilling for insects – he was poking into the crevices between the pole and the various wires and conduits attached to the pole. He has obviously learned that not all insects and spiders live right in the wood.

I remember a TV ad that advertized that recent innovation: the clothes drier. The ad showed a clothes line and a sad little bird and lamented “what will the birds do now that clothes driers are replacing clothes lines?”. My very young sensitivities were very worried for the birds. Now I wonder what will happen when we replace telephone and hydro poles because of new wireless technology. I am not as worried as I was when I was six, but I do wonder about these things. Perhaps the Pileated Woodpecker has a more valid viewpoint on the matter.

I continued trying to capture the night sky last night. The young moon was accompanied by a nearby star and partially hidden by the clouds. It was a great sky and I tried to capture it in the photo I have posted here. The real thing was much more impressive!  I think you have to look at these star photos in a larger size to get the full effect.  The sky itself is a much better canvas!

telephone pole specialist

finding a tasty meal

young moon and clouds

all writing and photos on this blog copyright Joanne Siderius