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Plenty of Pileateds



I don't know if there really are more Pileated woodpeckers in central NC
this year, or if I'm just tending to go more to places where they're likely
to be seen. I suspect the latter may well be the case. But anyway, here's a
rundown of  fairly recent Pileated Woodpecker sitings in the Orange,
Durham, Chatham area of NC.

Hill Forest-- NCSU's demo forest land between Bahama & Rougemont, Durham
Co. -- briefly saw one on the main trail across from the forester housing
4/13/03

Duke Forest Hillsborough Division -- This is a tract I've never seen anyone
post about. It's on Hwy. 70 West of Hillsborough, between the Highway
Patrol Station and the Eno River. There's no parking, but there is the
standard Duke Forest linked rod gate and Duke Blue Forest sign. It's a
pretty boring walk through pines up to the top of a little hill. At the top
of the rise, where there's a large clear cut section of totally desolate
area that's usually almost devoid of birds, the trail then cuts downhill to
the right. This is where things CAN get a little interesting. I've seen a
pileated working and working and working on the standing dead tree off to
the left just as the trail reaches the next turn left. The holes tend to be
on the opposite sides of the trees from the trail, and are not visible from
the trail, but they are there. This was the best look at one that I've ever
had, since it was gracious enough to hammer away just yards off the trail
for several minutes while we watched it. We got to watch it hop
Dracula-like up the side of a few trees, and watched it carefully examine a
hole it'd made, and then with carpenter-like precision decide that the hole
needed just a little bit of trimming around the top edge. The way it uses
it's tail for balance and yet manages to clutch the tree and bash away with
it's head just makes me grin. The bird's reluctance to leave the trees on
either side of the trail, made us wonder if it was nesting nearby, so be
careful through this section. The trail doesn't go terribly much further,
and the Pileated is probably the best reason to even try this section of
woods, but she has been there the past couple times. 

NC Forestry Service Demo land off Bigwoods Rd. in Chatham Co. -- Last year
I saw evidence of Pileateds here in terms of large oblong holes. This year,
I've seen 2 birds here in the 4 visits to this area that we've made. The
trick is to go about as far left (east) towards the water as the trails
will allow. 

Mason Farm -- For a year, I've heard *possible* Pileateds here, but there
are so many flickers, and since I'm just not really very good with calls
alone, that I tend to think of this more as potential than reality. But,
this year I've seen a pileated briefly flitting through the woods in two
places here. Surprisingly,  I've not seen a single red-head here, this
year, but last year saw plenty of them. I've seen very few red-heads this
year in any locale. (Except Ft. Fisher, but that's a whole different story.)

Finally, a reliable source has reported having a Pileated in her yard off
Old 86 outside of Carrboro on a couple of occasions this Spring. She's
gotten some amazingly close looks at it. At one point, it landed on a tree
just feet from where she was sitting on her porch. There's another tract of
Duke Forest off Old 86, just a couple miles north of her, that I've long
suspected would be good Pileated hangout ground, but have never confirmed
that despite several attempts. 

So, I guess my question is whether anybody else is noticing more Pileateds
than usual, or is this simply a matter of spending time where the birds
happen to be? Personally, I find the prehistoric looks of the Pileated
woodpecker make it visually stunning and oddly fascinating. 

Mike Swaim
Efland, NC
miaim@mebtel.net