Hi Ho Tweets

This morning I went down to Oakville in search of the ACORN WOODPECKER found yesterday by the Sullivans. I arrived just before 7 am, and just after 7 I had a medium size black bird with big white wing patches fly from a stump along Elma Gate Rd, a bit west of Blockhouse Rd. Unfortunately it disappeared before I could get a good look, but it was not the right shape for a Pileated. After scanning the mixed oaks and deciduous trees for twenty minutes with no results, I walked back around the corner onto Blockhouse Rd. Just as I rounded the corner, a woodpecker came undulating in.

It was the ACORN WOODPECKER showing nice white wing patches above and whitish wings below. It flew across Elma Gate Rd. and perched near the top of a Douglas Fir tree. During the three minutes it was there excellent scope views were had. When it left the tree it circled the stand of conifers and wound up perching on the crossarm of the telephone pole on the corner of Elma Gate and Blockhouse. Great looks from about 65 feet. It didn't stay long and flew back into the oak woods.

As with the Sullivans yesterday, the bird is not staying in one place for very long. It is moving around a lot and exploring the trees it lands in - preferring the oaks.

Before and after seeing the woodpecker, other birds in the area included COMMON RAVEN, AMERICAN CROW, AMERICAN ROBIN, WESTERN SCRUB JAY, PURPLE FINCH, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, NORTHERN FLICKER and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD.

If you make the trip, be patient, scan the woods being particularly alert for those white wing patches.

Good Birding,

Brian H. Bell
Birding & Natural History Guide
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia dot com