Its a very windy February morning here in the valley; I imagine worse winds in the higher elevations ! It was 68F at dawn this morning. We did not get the expected rain and storms last night, and I believe the chances are not as high today as last night and the energy has moved towards Tennessee and Mississippi.
The Pileated woodpecker is crow sized and is frequently spotted and heard around Arkansas. Many people have trouble getting close enough to get a good photograph. I have found that from February to June during the pairing and breeding season that they are often so preoccupied with their daily routine, that it is easy to sneak up on them, especially early in the day. This photo of a male (red stripe on his chin) Pileated Woodpecker was from yesterday, taken with a Canon 7D and a Canon 300 f/2.8 IS Lens handheld from 45-50 feet away. He was so busy drilling for termites and ants, his mate was tearing apart logs on the ground 50 feet further away, that I went unnoticed or they were not bothered with my presence for 20 minutes:
Life and Wildlife along the Little Buffalo River 
Leave a Reply