Outdoor Ontario

Photography => Ontario Birds => Topic started by: Rotarran on February 12, 2013, 09:08:03 PM

Title: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: Rotarran on February 12, 2013, 09:08:03 PM

I saw on ebird that there was a reliable sighing of a Red Headed Woodpecker on North Road just south of the 407 on that little dead end side street.  And indeed it was reliable.  This bird doesn't venture too far from its obvious home (riddled with holes from the pecking I'm assuming) so if you stick around for a few minutes, you're bound to see him.  

This bird is still a juvenile so his plumage is coloured accordingly.  I think he's close to mature though because in some of the pics I could see the red starting to come through (the wind kinda helped with that).  

(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/P2121212_zps6354bf38.jpg)

(http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/y469/Rotarren/P2121217_zpsd2b647ad.jpg)

Title: Re: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: Palo on February 13, 2013, 05:56:32 AM

Wow, it looks like an unfinished wooden decoy. ;)  Nice catch man.

Title: Re: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: cosmo3667 on February 13, 2013, 09:41:55 AM

great spotting

Title: Re: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: farmer on February 13, 2013, 12:53:54 PM

I'd love to see one, red head or not!

Title: Re: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: Rotarran on February 13, 2013, 02:52:59 PM

Well it's a reliable sighting so just swing by and you'll see it.

Title: Re: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: BoboBird on February 13, 2013, 03:16:38 PM

Cool sighting.

That would be North Road, Pickering?

http://goo.gl/maps/9JYlR

Title: Re: Red Headed Woodpecker (Juvenile)
Post by: Rotarran on February 13, 2013, 04:07:30 PM

That's right...just south of the 407 on the little side road with the dead end.  You'll see the tree I was talking about in my original post...full of holes.  

Additionally there seems to be quite a bit of bird activity in the area.  People have seen Snow Buntings as well.  But when I was there I did not have that much time to stick around.  I may revisit the location and the nearby areas of interest sometime in the future.