Trip Day 29,  Saturday May 22, 2021  At Walnut Hills Campground VA


Today was the day we “focused“ on getting some good Pileated Woodpecker photos  in the dead  Sycamore/tree behind us in the woods. IT has four Pileated nesting sites as the woodpeckers usually drill a new one every year even in the same tree, (Pests, rodent, vermin and disease being the reason.)

 

he nest where the two Pileated Woodeckers live

(10:00 AM) The two babies have been calling for Mom (or Dad)?) for more than 2 hours  off and on. We set up our camera on a tripod, got Ruth situated in a chair with an umbrella (The sun was hot at 80 F and humid).   (10:20AM) Every once in a while the birds would sick their heads out and call for something to eat , and then would go back in a rest a bit, (11:00). This went on for 2 hours and it was getting time for our lunch  not only theirs.  (11:55 AM) So we set the time for our lunch at 12:00 noon and wouldn’t you know that the “Provider” came exactly at noon!  So Ruth got her photos and I missed a chance to do a video (we will try again) but she got some good close ups of them feeding and eating. It was noticeable that only one bird was fed, by design or coincidence we do not know. Time will tell.
Enjoy the photos.
 

They hear Mom coming.

There's Mom with some food.

Who's first ? OK we will start with you

A hungry little guy and he got all of the food.

Wanna take a break?  (NO!)

 We did eat lunch and took down the umbrella, tripod, camera and chair and table. A broom worked nicely with some duct tape to hold up the umbrella for Ruth.

We ate lunch and Ruth showed me , after we downloaded those terrific photos, and showed me another way to download photos to the blog. (I will probably not use it as it is more complicated than the blog system I have been using for 15 years Thanks anyway, Ruth.

One more mouthful, Buster!

Hey Mom, remember the next mouthful is for me!~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So we will watch out the window to see if we finally get any birds to come to the feeder. AH THERE IS ONE NOW…a Tufted Titmouse.  YEA !

During the week we will spend some time in Shenandoah National Park which is just up the road at the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway from here.

 

 

Enjoy your weekend

A few more from today.

A Silvery Checkerspot in roses

Ruth's set up fot photographing the Pileated

Our resident  yard bird  the Song Sparrow.