I have always wanted to see a Pileated Woodpecker in Inwood Hill Park, and I finally saw one this morning. I was wrapping up my birding walk and ready to go home when I met a fellow birder who let me know about the Pileated in the Clove. He said he learned about it from another birder. I wasn’t far away so I thought that maybe I could find it.
There it was, in all its glory, drumming away at a fallen dead tree near the sacred circle in heart of the Clove.
I heard that Pileated Woodpeckers were large birds, and I was indeed surprised by its grand size.
After several minutes, a group of people with their off-leash dogs walked by, and it flew away. A few minutes later, a couple of birders came by looking for it. I showed them my pictures, and they pointed out it was a male because of the red “mustache” on its cheek.
Walking home, I ran into another birder who said she saw it yesterday on the most eastern ridge of the park. We exchanged how thrilling it was to see it up close. I showed her these pictures.
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