Woodpecker Released

After the marvel of seeing the bare breast of the woodpecker mother, the volunteer turned the bird over and checked the tops of the wings. The marking pattern is pretty impressive in the treetops, but it is awesome right in front of you. And then he turned the bird over to a girl who was interested in setting it free. A hold, a release, and the woodpecker was on the way to the treetops.

And I was on the way to a track meet, then a visit to a different forest preserve. That evening, a bit of rock and roll. We will look at some rocking musicians and dancers in the next few posts.

From the Nest to the Hand

When the volunteer turned his wrist he touched the breast of the bird and said that she was a mother who had given birth. And he showed the evidence: the coat of feathers covering her breast slips open at the touch of his finger, exposing the underlying skin, if that is the right word.

I was amazed. Just a beginner at birding, I had no idea of the complexity of the process, and if you had asked me, I would have answered that a bird on the nest used its entire body as a sort of cover or blanket to provide the warmth. I had no idea that the body changed in such a spectacular manner, allowing the much warmer core of the mother to be readily available to the babies who will be adults in weeks.

Perhaps everyone else knew all this, but I thought it was a wonderful and clear way to learn something of value. My photographer's instincts would like to thank this female woodpecker for the lesson in the beauty and power of nature.

Leaving the Farm

As we began to walk back toward the barn with the upstairs door and the parking lot, we did see a few more buildings and a few more birds. Two swans glide across a pond near the former location of the family home, wonderful reflections gliding right with them. A downy woodpecker clung to the side of a tree, as if deciding whether or not to peck; he chose to fly away instead.

And our group glided down to the parking lot and flew away in our cars, all looking forward to the next event that will draw each of us to St. James Farm.

More birding at a different location in the next post.