[Magdalen] Odd patrons at local eatery

[Lynn Ronkainen]

Maybe bugs in pole *behind* metal box? 
Lynn who has has woodpeckers pecking both wood on house and on metal gutters

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 1, 2016, at 9:43 AM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:

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.
>