Pileated visitor

Woodpeckers have distinctive feather patterns, sizes, and voices, but sometimes, you can know which species is in the neighborhood by the sound and rhythm of their, well, woodpeckering—in other words, by the way they hammer on wood in search of insects. These days, most of the drumming is of the rapid, staccato nature: the characteristic rat-a-tat-tatting of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. But this gray, cold morning, as I was wading through snow to reach the general vicinity of the compost pile, I heard a different drummer—a much slower, more deliberate pounding. I had a pretty good idea of who it was, and as I moved in the direction of the percussion, the large, crow-sized bird left the tree it was working and headed towards a new venue. The flash of white in the wing confirmed my suspicion: a Pileated! These amazing creatures are increasingly common on the ridge, but I hadn't seen one since the arrival of the big snows. Maybe I just need to get out more.