Hi all,

  Birded the park this morning, most interesting woodpecker behavior I seemed to have overlooked. While I was in the woods observing deer (yes, I watch deer too) a Northern Flicker flew close and landed on a rotten hollow trunk on the ground. Then it popped inside!  I didn't see it for a few minutes, but it emerged and flew to a low branch. Then it went to another hollow log and did the same thing!  Must be some mighty tasty carpenter ants.
Pileated Woodpeckers also put on a show today.  I noted 2 pairs, one which was cleaning out a nest cavity in a large Sycamore. It was the male doing the housework this time. Other species:

Carolina Chickadees
Tufted Titmouse
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Yellow bellied Sapsucker
Red tailed Hawk  (being chased by a smaller raptor-)
Common Crow
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Downy wp
Hairy wp
Red bellied wp
Northern Flicker
Pileated wp
Purple Grackles -small flock flyover.

D.Ford/Bethesda, Md.

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