Friday, August 10, 2012
Unusual Find
I was coming back to the house today on CR 258, a little country road that winds it's way by Lake Georgetown. I saw what looked like a black bird in the road dead. As I got closer I could see some white striping so I knew it wasn't a black bird. I slowed down and as I went by I noticed some red feathers on it's head. I know most of the birds around here and it wasn't any variety I knew so I pulled over to take a look. I was stunned to find that it was a Pileated Wood Pecker. I've seen them in east Texas before but not within a couple hundred miles of here. They need mature forest of large trees especially in large river bottoms. None of that here, maybe it came here after the fires in Bastrop although I've never seen one there either. Here's some pictures.
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13 comments:
What a beautiful bird.
I know my friends in Georgia have them around their house. But, I've never seen one here.
What happened to him?
A sad ending to such a beautiful bird. Have you contacted the Audubon society in Austin to ask them about this sighting?
We have a pair living in our woods. They are wary and very hard to get photos of. I am so sorry to see this, but your photos are good shots to help us see how lovely these woodpeckers really are, even in death.
Hi Bob.
We have them over here on the east side, they like the post oaks and like to hammer (loudly) on old bamboo posts that I have dotted around.
I wonder if it was hit by a car? Poor chap.
I'm pretty sure it was hit by a car, being in the road and all. It wasn't messed up though.
There was a porcupine dead on Ronald Reagan Blvd a couple weeks ago. It is only the second one I've seen here.
Bob, I do believe you're about the only person I know who would pull over to the side of the road to take a photo of a dead animal.
I took it home to show Lyn as well Katina. The porcupine smelled too bad or I would have taken it home as she has never seen one. I took pictures of it for her though.
Bob,
Sorry you had to find it like this. If it was me I'd put in in a bag and freeze it. Then call the local museums to see if they want it. My step daughter used to stuff birds like this for the Natural History Museum in Raleigh, NC.
That is a sad find, Bob - but because you are the one who found it and you paid attention, its passing did not go unnoticed.
The only time I saw a pileated woodpecker was in Kentucky about 20 years ago - still remember how cool that was.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
A sad ending for a beautiful bird.
You're a really nice person. You love animals I know that. Thanks for your concerns. I love animals too. Thanks.
retirement planning victoria
Oh what a beautiful bird! I hate to see it end up like that. You think it was hit by a car? What a wonderful thing to do; stopping and checking on it. I love to see humanity in action!
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