Pileated pairI am so glad Holly gave up her digs to be with Lucky. Lucky is glad, too. I know it sounds anthropomorphic, but Lucky looks truly loving in his eyes and gentle behavior as he snuggled with Holly last evening. See what you think in this 5-minute video https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ZMjuLAaDbS0.
Midday today, Holly gave a good look at her face as she looked at the camera from only inches away. She then settled into raking, but not to improve her nest. The raking was so deliberate with a look of such high interest (extended upper lip), that I suspect she was looking for something (a vole?) in the straw, as shown in this 11-minute video https://www.facebook.com/ toni.embree.50/videos/ 1178122058887089.
Pileated femaleToday the pileated woodpeckers came as a pair. It’s the first time I’ve seen them together in months. Neither seemed to mind me standing in the glass door less than 10 feet from them. Pileateds have a reputation for being so wary and skittish. This pair doesn’t seem to miss a thing but are not disturbed by a person at the glass door. I suspect it’s probably the old pair and will have to check pictures from former years. The white line over the eye seems to differ with individuals. You can tell the newcomer is a female because she has a black (not red) mustache stripe and has a dark front to her crest.
On New Year’s Eve, we celebrated 200,000 likes on Facebook for Lily The Black Bear. Now, a month later, it’s 203,000. Welcome all.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center