Look, A Woodpecker!

Hairy Woodpecker - male

While on a walk along a nearby trail, we hear the familiar hammering sound by a woodpecker securing food. Tap, tap, tap.

They’re very elusive and flutter from one location to another tapping and extracting grubs with their extremely long, flexible tongues. I’ve learnt through researching the Hairy Woodpecker, a common bird throughout North America, that their creative tapping starts off gently, which helps them detect the exact location of the food. In contrast, when tapping to declare their territory, they cling to a dry limb and tap rapidly, building up to a loud drumming and then fading away.

I was thrilled to have one sit for a moment on a tree branch. I put the binoculars to my eyes and memorised the male's red patch at the base of his crown, his light underparts, and white back with black wings and white spots. His scraggly black tail had white outer feathers. All of a sudden, he let out a loud, sharp peek! And then another. He flew off.

We didn’t spot the female but know that she looks similar but doesn’t sport the red patch.

Hairy Woodpecker - female

Nature opens our hearts. 

Photos courtesy of Joachin Ruhstein

Deer Oh Deer

Black-tailed fawn

Our current house and pet sitting location on Vancouver Island provides us with views of the endearing and enchanting Black-tailed Deer. In the early morning hours, a mother and her three offspring travel gently through the trees to access the pond built by the property owners. My attempts to take photos from the great outdoors is interrupted by the slight squeak made by the sliding doors. Frank wants to admire them too. They trot briskly into the bushes. Prey are famous for being skittish.

As I type this post, the gentle troop saunter across the lawn and nibble at the new shoots. Frank takes a photo through the window. It is our privilege to observe their beautiful coats, flickering noses and ears, and quiet attention to signs of danger. The deer are not aware that the birdseed set out for the local ducks is not meant for them and supplement their grazing by taking in the new food.

Young deer from the window

With urban development and the introduction of farmlands and non-native plants, shrubs and trees, deer habits are changing along with their habitat. On the Island, it is not unusual to see a herd of deer grazing alongside a herd of cows, both sharing the same field.

Courtesy of the Internet

During the day, the deer camouflage themselves among the trees. At dusk, they travel the same path back, past the pond, into the other edge of this property and beyond. Their presence seems magical.


Fawn photo courtesy of: http://wingtips.org/