The new year dawned rainy and warm. It’s been a long time since we headed to the east side, so we drove out to North Chagrin for a change of scenery. The trail was muddy and we had to dodge puddles from the start.
As soon as we entered the woods, I spotted a pileated woodpecker. It’s a large bird with a bright red shock of feathers on top of its head and a beautiful black and white tuxedo-looking body. I’ve been trying for ages to get a clear picture of one! We stood still and waited until we heard a loud rat-a-tat-tat nearby and saw him working to extract a meal from a dead tree near the path. His feet were splayed wide, gripping the bark. He tipped his head to the side, listening. Then, resumed hammering away with his beak. What a treat to watch him work! I had to put my camera away for the rest of hike as the rain picked up. But I will take it as a good omen that my first steps on the trail this year yielded an encounter with a long-sought bird.
Happy New Year, everyone!
