- To: thrush@hotmail.com
- Subject: Re: Pileated Woodpecker
- From: Clxthomas@aol.com
- Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 07:02:40 EDT
- Full-name: Clxthomas
In a message dated 5/23/00 6:42:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, thrush@hotmail.com writes: << Had a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers visit >yesterday.... >> Since procedure requires that I acknowledge that I neglected to sign my post yesterday I will do it here -- after this additional thought: As I mentioned yesterday, the area where I live (near a forested floodplain) has numerous residual trees that the developer left in the 60s. My entire "backyard" is beneath a canopy of tulip poplar, sweetgum, red oak and water oak with a few understory dogwood. The ground is more typical of a forest floor -- no grass. During my 7 years here I've seen an occasional pileated foraging in these trees. Red-bellied woodpeckers, downys and secondary cavity users such as titmice and chickadees nest here in decayed limbs large enough to support their cavities. However, these trees are getting up their in age. The neighborhood lost several in the last hurricane. Since then the elderly neighbor behind me and the folks beside her cut down all trees large enough to fall on their houses. It is only a matter of time until all of these trees are gone and we will be a "flyover" neighborhood for pileateds. Eventually even the red-bellied woodpeckers and downys will be gone. Will future owners plant trees native to the area and then let them develop to maturity? Not likely. Is this scenario likely to be repeated all over NC? Probably. "Development" and "growth" as we know it, or even would like it to be, are not good for pileateds, red-bellieds, titmice, etc. Charlie Thomas Greenville, NC