Luke Redmond wrote:
>
> OBOL,
> Today I saw an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER on the CPR (more specific directions later) at
> Malheur. I was doing my every third or fourth day task of checking kingbird nests,
> approaching the territory of a pair whose original nest failed and needed to locate the
> replacement nest. As I approached the tree the original nest was in, an approximately
> robin-sized bird flew being chased by a male kingbird. The bird was strikingly black and
> white with a brilliant red head. My first thought, until caught the head color a split
> second later, was "damn, the magpies found the new nest before I did", then I saw the red
> head and, out loud said, "wow (not my exact exclamation) that's a Red-headed
> Woodpecker!". Although it was vigorously chased by kingbirds, it stayed within the same
> general area, and I watched it for over the next hour (from about 1030am until 1145am).
> Here is what I saw:
> -Predominantly black and white bird with striking, bright red head, there was no streaking
> or stripes (e.g. the white areas were entirely white, the same with the black)
> -Breast and belly entirely white
> -Back and wings mostly black, with two white patches on the wings that, when perched,
> formed a triangle whose apex pointed toward the tail
> -Black tail
> -Some secondaries and primaries looked all white forming a very conspicous white window in
> flight
> -When not perched it was flycathing medium to large-sized insects
> Being originally from Michigan, Red-headed Woodpecker is a species I've seen many times,
> and am very confident in the identification. During the hour that I watched it, I was
> able to get several photographs. Unfortunately my digital camera was the victim of a
> canoe accident a few weeks ago, so all I have now is a film camera so I can't quickly send
> any pictures of the bird. Throughout the whole time watched it stayed in the same area
> which is approximately 925 meters south of the old 5 Mile Bridge/Northern end of Knox Pond
> along the CPR. There are two large box-elders in this area (about the only two for at
> least a kilometer) that serve as pretty decent landmarks. When not perched in either of
> these (where it was hard to see, and it didn't vocalize the entire time I was there), it
> was usually perched fairly conspicuously at the tops of dead willows. It seemed to
> especially favor a patch of willows (mostly living, with taller dead trees protruding from
> the middle) about 30 meters east of the road in the area (it was still perched in this
> spot when I drove back by at about 200pm). If anyone is interested (and if the OBRC
> website is correct about this being a potential second state record, then some will be) I
> will post again if I see it over the next few days. Good birding.
> Luke Redmond
>
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--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

In Praise of Urtica
http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/2008/06/urtica20080622.html