Birds in the Afternoon

The leaves are turning but not too many have fallen yet.

The other day I was watching a movie (Walk the Line) mid-afternoon (a rarity) - sitting on my couch overlooking the orchard and woods and saw a pileated woodpecker and an owl. It is a rarity to see either, here.

The woodpecker was pecking at the bottom of a base of a dead apple tree. I got out my binoculars to verify - and sure enough - there were the distinctive white markings - v-like - on it's head and neck. The tree had blown over in a storm and I convinced my husband to leave it for some bird to find - and find it it did. It probably pecked for a good part of an hour. It left quite a hole.

Then a little later I looked out and saw a huge owl sitting in one of the dead trees at the edge of the woods. There are several dead trees where some previous owners had some wire fencing - that must have killed them. The trees are a favorite of various woodpeckers including some of the red-headed variety that nest in the spring. Often I will see a hawk or a crow sitting on one of the bare branches. I hadn't seen an owl in years - and never at this house. I had been hearing one across the valley recently. I don't know if it's the same one. And then this morning I heard an owl in or near our woods behind the house.

I like the sound of owls - and I would be plenty happy to have one or more take up residence and eat some neighboring voles.