Black-backed Woodpecker

This photo of a Black-backed Woodpecker was taken on 4 December 2014, when I went for a short walk in Fish Creek Park. I had been trying to do several short walks to see if it made any difference at all to the level of pain in my back. (Have to go for back X-Rays this week, hopefully today if I can get myself organized.) The weather has been so beautiful recently, too – we all know that it is going to change back to “winter” before too long. Also, a short time in the park can (if you are lucky!) be simply amazing.

I happened to come across a female Pileated Woodpecker near the base of a tree. Almost impossible to get a sharp photo because she just didn’t stop banging her head against the tree. While I was trying to get a photo, a much smaller bird flew over my head and landed on the same tree, about 4’ higher. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that it was a male Black-backed Woodpecker (rare in Alberta, just like the two American Three-toed Woodpeckers that I saw in a different part of the park, on two different days last week). Talk about being lucky!

The Black-backed Woodpecker is very similar to the American Three-toed Woodpecker - and the males of both species have the small yellow patch on the forehead.

"The American Three-toed Woodpecker is similar, but with white barring on back and hind neck, white line behind eye, weaker barring on flanks, and more white in wings." From AllABoutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-backed_Woodpecker/id