Five merged images of a Pileated Woodpecker. Posting 2 of 8 in this series of postings on the Pileated Woodpecker family. GO To http://www.pbase.com/hankvv/image/149565565
for the start of the series (1 of 8).


Left image:The Woodpecker is inside the potential nest cavity. He is chipping away at the walls and ceiling to make it larger and more comfortable for his lady. The cavity already seems pretty large.

Remaining images: Woodpecker popped his head out of the hole and checks up, this way, then that way,for what I think is my camera noise even though I kept a considerable distance away from the tree where he was excavating the cavity. I didn't want to disturb him and his mate too much in order not to give them a reason to abandon this site for another. I am hoping that this will be the nest cavity chosen by the female; however, it may not be as the male reportedly makes several nest cavities from which the female chooses the one she likes best. This one looks good to me, but then, what do I know. He sure has made considerable effort to make the cavity.