[Magdalen] Odd patrons at local eatery

[Jay Weigel]

We got vinyl siding 3 years ago and we *still* get the odd woodpecker
pouncing on it. They are crazy. My favorite woodpecker story, which I've
told before, involves the day I was walking up our street in Tennessee and
heard a pounding-on-metal noise overhead. I looked up to see a good-sized
woodpecker (not a pileated, so I imagine it was a redheaded) drumming on
the metal box on one of the utility poles. I wondered what the heck he was
doing there and decided he was either a frustrated musician or he was
sending a message about territory.

On Fri, Apr 1, 2016 at 3:18 AM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford <
oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:

> When our house had ceder siding, we would get these wrapping noises, and
> there were spots where the shingles were getting drilled through. I would
> sneak out to the road and walk down far enough to see around the house (any
> closer and the birds would leave before I could get a look at them.  They
> were a tiny woodpecker, hanging on the shingles and banging away.  I called
> the local Cornell extension and they said this was not uncommon. (What were
> they after? Do I have bugs in my house?) No, that's just what woodpeckers
> do!
>
> We painted and their interest waned. We eventually got vinyl siding. Cute
> little devils.
>
> Today I was out walking and heard a bird calling, and could tell it was
> nearby, and looked as I walked and finally saw a good sized Pileated.
> Generally they fly away when I come within even a hundred yards, but this
> guy stayed. Probably hoping for a meet-up with a potential mate....   Good
> luck, P.
>
> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
>
> On Thu, Mar 31, 2016 at 10:04 PM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen <
> magdalen at herberthouse.org> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 3/31/2016 6:15:29 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> > gracecan at gmail.com writes:
> >
> > I've had  a Pileated hanging around near the house  >>>>>>>>>>
> >
> > We are seeing them less frequently than, say, twenty years ago.
> > This is because the aspen trees that were pioneers here after the
> > clear-cutting of the hardwoods for mining timbers have gradually
> > died and disappeared from the woody flora.  While the aspens  were
> > dead and dying, the Pileated woodpeckers had a field day and were
> > a common sight here.
> >
> > The aspens have been replaced with some beech, maple, and oaks
> > of several varieties, and they don't have dead wood for the birds.
> > There're also hemlock and White Pine.
> >
> > Since the house is clothed in T-111 (wood) we have had some
> > trouble with the Downey Woodpeckers, but they've been better since
> > the house was repainted.  I guess the paint discourages bugs in  the
> > siding, and the newly painted siding tastes bad for the woodpeckers.
> >
> >
> >
> > David Strang.
> >
>