Quick post: 26 Jun 2016
Well, that was fun yesterday - finding five Lewis's Woodpecker nests! Well, actually, we found four and got impatient on the fifth - not waiting for the adult to show us which hole exactly. Oh well.
Here is what their alarm calls sound like: Do not approach nest sites yourself unless accompanied by an authorized and experienced biologist or surveyor such as myself. If you hear this type of call, back away immediately. Prolonged or frequent periods of agitation can have severe consequences on nest success. Predators such as Common Ravens may be alerted by your presence. This video is for educational purposes.
After a bit, I realized I could point my phone at the birds rather than the ground. I panned from one adult, then the nest, then the other adult.
And here are some pics of the nests and habitat:
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| Short snag |
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| partially alive tree |
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| small grove obviously marked and left standing around snag during enhancement |
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| foreground of what was left after enhancement |
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| closer view of one of the nest holes |
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| The one that 'got away' - adult LEWO flying above right - we did not pinpoint this nest hole |
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Some habitat shots:
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| what is this flower? |
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| very green right now since it has been raining a lot - but there aren't any mud puddles - the earth has soaked it all in |
These pics are from Skookumchuck Prairie Important Bird Area, British Columbia, Canada. The IBA is designated for Long-billed Curlew and Lewis's Woodpecker.
Also, yesterday, we found two LBCU chicks diligently attended by two adults.
