Welcome the pileated woodpecker to Scarlett Mitchell Woods. Manfred Schmidt is sure he saw one while working in the woods with a friend a few years ago, but now it’s official. On October 20,2022, we spotted it in Scarlett-Mitchell Nature Area West, while walking through that area with Matt Spoor, Nature area Preservation’s current Park Steward Coordinator, on a prelude to a private work day in the woods. Matt is an avid birdwatcher and a member of the Washtenaw Audubon Society. He was the one who spotted the pileated pair. They were in the upper branches of a larger tree – maybe a willow – and unmistakable, though much too far away for a decent photo.
A few days later we learned that a pileated had been coming to the feeders of Colonial Square Cooperative neighbors who live next to the woods. In December we were thrilled to have the pileated visit our suet feeder – just in time for the Christmas Bird Count. Since then, we’ve been trying to capture this striking bird, the size of a crow, with our modest cell-phone cameras. This photo of a female pileated from February 25, 2023, is the best one we’ve managed to take through our not-so-sparkling-clean front window. (How do we know it’s a female? The males sport a red mustache.)
Judy Schmidt
From their flaming red crest to their maniacal laughing calls, this is one bird you don’t want to miss. To see more see the following Audubon article: 10 Fun Facts About the Pileated Woodpecker
More information about woodpeckers from the following Forest Preserve District of Will County article: Five things to know about those wacky and wonderful woodpeckers (reconnectwithnature.org)
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