Photographing Red-Headed Woodpeckers: Part 2

I put down my gear and started to get dressed in my camouflage ghillie suit, a useful article of clothing for breaking up the definable outline of the human figure.  While this level of camouflage may have been overkill, I chose to use it for a few reasons. One being that the Red-headed Woodpecker is a rare bird in Connecticut.  That, by itself, was enough reason for me to be extra careful in my approach and I really did not want my presence to disturb the bird, if it was in fact still in the area.  My second reasoning was that I was expecting to be sitting and waiting for the woodpecker for a while.  I wanted my presence to cause as little of a disturbance in the forest as possible while I waited. This form of concealment would make it possible and easier to see other wildlife in the area hopefully acting as if I was not even there.    

Scanning the oak trees that were still standing, it was evident that any of these trees could provide suitable perching and foraging potential for the Red-headed Woodpecker.  In the summer months, the species is known for their fly-catching abilities, where they perch on low branches and fly out to catch insects in a similar manner to eastern phoebes or warblers.  Now that it is September, and the number of flying insects has decreased, the woodpeckers have switched gears and are now primarily collecting nuts.  One of the main nuts they consume are acorns, and luckily for me, the oaks in the northeast appear to be having a bumper crop of acorns this fall, so there is plenty of food to go around. 

I notice a smaller standing tree with a decent sized shrub near the base.  I decide to set up there near the base of the tree so that I could potentially blend in with the shrub.   

As I am nearing the tree to set up, something that very rarely happens in wildlife photography occurred.  The Red-headed Woodpecker flew over and landed on the tree right above my head! It is hardly ever this easy!  I crouch down and get a few quick photos in case the bird decides to quickly fly off.  Once it appears they are going to remain on the tree in front of me, I slowly set up my tripod and get myself set up. 

I prefer to set up in most instances sitting either on the ground or on a short stool.  I find this helps to decrease my profile in the habitat, especially since I was in waist high grass and shrubs.  If I were to set up standing, I would stick out like a sore thumb even with all the camouflage.

I sit and watch the woodpecker breaking up an acorn that it lodges in the bark of the tree and then cracks it open with its bill.  I see two more Red-headed Woodpeckers in the distance in the treetops of neighboring trees further in the clearing.  It is an amazing experience to be able to find more than one individual of this species in the same area.  These three are likely a family group moving through the area together finding good foraging habitats on their journey southward.

The sun has illuminated the treetops now and the woodpecker above my head has paused from eating to preen and sun bath.  They soon fly off to join the other two woodpeckers in the distant oaks. 

As you are sitting waiting for the wildlife to come into view and range for photos, it is always important to stay observant to what is happening around you.  These lulls in taking photos allow for further learning and observation of animal behavior that can open the door for more great photo opportunities either in the same outing or in future outings.

While I was sitting there, I noticed that along with the Red-headed Woodpeckers, were Red-bellied Woodpeckers as well as Northern Flickers that were all foraging and moving about the tops of the oaks.  It appeared like they were all following one another and checking to see if the other had left any scraps of food behind.  It is interesting to see how these different species that would typically be in competition with one another, all in one space and seeming to move about somewhat peacefully.

Sitting in the tall grass I could also hear and see Carolina Wrens twittering about in the fallen tree branches and limbs, popping up for only a few seconds before returning to the shadows to continue foraging.  There were also Common Yellowthroat Warblers that were moving about in the brush searching for insects still resting on the damp vegetation.  It would only be a few more weeks, and these warblers would be moving south, and this brush would be quiet.         

As I expected, I was waiting for a while for the Red-headed Woodpecker to come back in range for any photos or video.  One may be tempted to get up and creep closer to where the woodpeckers were, however, I decided I did not want to risk causing them to flee the area.  I had set myself up in a good spot with the sun behind me and I had moved to a position where the perch that the one bird had been on now had green vegetation behind it.  So, if the bird came back to that perch, I would not have the bright blue sky behind them. 

The camouflage had done its job, and the forest had been calm while I was sitting in the brush.  I started to hear the alarm calls of gray squirrels off to my right in the forest.  I felt confident that they were not making these alarm calls because of me, since I had been sitting here for over an hour now.  The alarm calls started to get more frequent and closer to me so I started to look around and see if I could figure out what was disturbing the squirrels.  Squirrels are one of the best alarm systems of the forest, and sometimes they send out false alarms, but when the entire forest is sending out alarm calls and multiple squirrels are involved, it is a good indication that an actual perceived threat is nearby.  This threat could be a myriad of predators that can be found in the forest, ranging from Black Bear to Barred Owl.  I would be happy to photograph any of these animals if they came close enough. 

I kept still, keeping an eye on the forest floor for any activity, and after a few minutes the culprit of the alarm calls came trotting by, an Eastern Coyote.  This beautiful coyote went trotting by without a notice I was there which was exactly what I was hoping for. 

After a while, the Red-headed Woodpecker came flying back over in my direction and landed on a different tree nearby.  They foraged on the bark looking for insects and soon took a break and preened.  I tried to get some images including the hickory leaves to show the habitat these birds are found in.  While I did not get the best images of this bird, I was happy to have even been able to find this rare species and observe it.  It is not every day that you end up walking away with the jaw dropping images, but it is important to be able to look back and appreciate the time you were able to spend observing the animal.  And when you are able to leave that animal without causing harm or alarm, that makes the experience even more enjoyable. 

I later learned that there were four Red-headed Woodpeckers spotted in this area, and they ended up remaining in the area for over a month.  This fact shows that with proper management, these endangered species can once again be present and even thrive in Connecticut. 

Until next time,

Todd