- 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