American Three-toed Woodpecker

This photo shows a tree that has had bits of its bark removed, leaving the orange-coloured wood exposed. The Woodpecker wants to get to the larvae that are beneath the bark, once it has been removed. Some trees are almost completely orange, so much bark has been peeled away by a Woodpecker. In winter, when there is snow on the ground, you can see the pieces of bark lying around the base of the tree, on top of the snow, if a Woodpecker has been at work very recently.

"The American Three-toed Woodpecker is found in boreal forests and montane coniferous forests across North America. Because of its choice of habitat, it is infrequently seen by most people." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Three-toed_Woodpecke...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_three-toed_woodpecker

This bird was seen on 28 November 2015, in Fish Creek Park, when I went on a morning walk with friends. We had seen Three-toed Woodpeckers in this particular forested area before, in other years, so we were hoping one might be around. When we stopped to look and listen, I heard a distant tapping and, when we walked in that direction, one of the other birders caught sight of this bird. It was moving through a tangle of branches, up and down the tree trunk, but I did manage to get a usable shot of the whole bird. Was also able to get several half-decent closer shots, including this one. These birds just never keep still, so I had about 50 photos to delete and just a handful to keep.

Janet and Bernie's list of birds seen:

1. Canada Goose - 19
2. Cooper's Hawk - 1
3. Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1
4. Downy Woodpecker - 1
5. THREE-TOED WOODPECKER - 1
6. Black-billed Magpie - 5
7. Common Raven - 5
8. Black-capped Chickadee - 30+
9. BOREAL CHICKADEE - 3
10. White-breasted Nuthatch - 2
11. Red-breasted Nuthatch - 11
12. BROWN CREEPER - 1
13. TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE - 1
14. Bohemian Waxwing - 28
15. White-winged Crossbill - 23
16. House Finch - 4
17 Pine Grosbeak - 3