I just came back from my first true vacation in more than twenty years and had the chance to see a bird that I have been looking for since I read a book about them in 1980. Only one picture came out and I know you can't tell what it is and I won't say but here is my lifer woodpecker:

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sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

Au contraire, Sarah - some of us can tell what it is just from that picture! Congratulations - I got my lifer for that species in central Florida a couple of years back, and although I've seen it once or twice since, it's still a thrill every time.

Kevin Morgan
Baton Rouge, LA

Red-cockaded Woodpecker? If that's what it is, I still haven't gotten lucky despite several concerted efforts.

Jill

Benton, ME
Canon Digital Rebel XT
Canon EF70-300 F4-5.6 IS USM

Congratulations Sarah.

Alan~S Cal

Yup that's what it is. I had hoped to see them in North Carolina in the early 1980's when my ex-husband was stationed at Fort Bragg. I read a book about them down there and knew they were originally in the Pines of the sandhills between Fort Bragg and Pinehurst. I never did see one. Then I had a chance to see three yesterday in the Ocala National forest for ten minutes at dawn.Before they woke up I heard the bachmans sparrow but didn't see one. They seem to leave their holes all at once they sang their song and visited each other then flew away. They were there for about ten minutes then gone. Jill you have to go at dawn where their tres are marked with red paint. I know you'll see them next time you go down south.



sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

That's a really cool sighting Sarah (and a painful reminder that I need to someday get my ---- down to Florida sometime soon...I had a guy on another forum tell me they could be found at the same place where you were - congrats!

Ruth
Everett, WA
Zone 8

My wife and I might take a road trip down to the Carolinas next month - so this would be a target for us. Congrats!

Nice - for me it is the only woodpecker in North America that I have never seen, I'm a little envious.

Patrick,

Where in North Carolina are you going to travel to? I have seen the Red Cockaded at this preserve. They have a nest box program there. http://www.palmettopeartree.org/ We stayed at a nice B&B very close to there. Let me know if you need more info.

Pam NJ 6B

Patrick and Ward they are also on Fort Bragg even though I never had a chance to see them there in the early 1980's Here is another spot in the North Carolina Sandhills

http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wewo/main.php

sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

So, Sarah.. you saw this guy at the Ocala National Forest?
(congrats on the lifer)

just wondering..where he was that you saw this particular one.
Did you go hiking in the morning in the Forest, or was he nearby an area where you were staying?

alice

...


USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

We drove to an area nearby in the forest (unfortunatly it's used as an illegal dump ) It was around 5am so it was dark they only are home to sleep (when they aren't nestng) They live in communal groups or families So there were three trees that were being used It was dark and when they woke up they would go visit each other than they left. Their holes are pretty far up on the living long leaf pine trees so It was hard to see let alone photograph but where the sticky sap is there usually is a hole Ocupied trees are painted Here is where they live the forest at dawn their hole and the road leading out of it



sarah merion station, Pennsylvania zone 6B

cool thanks for the details ,Sarah.

alice

...


USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Congratulations Sarah, I´ve never seen one.