In the last few days I heard the pileated woodpecker begin its spring courting call. Two springs ago, I saw this fellow start this cavity with two distinct holes, one on top of the other. Last spring he pecked away until it was almost through the tree and joined the two holes.The hollow measures 24’ high, 5” wide and 20” deep. True to form, this spring, he has started a new hollow on the back of the same tree. He only does this in the early spring.

What is puzzling is the location of the hole; barely off the ground and in a large live fir. Typically, pileated woodpeckers bore for carpenter ants in dead trees and set up cavities for roosting or nesting at least 20 feet up the tree for obvious reasons. I can’t imagine how the fir is still standing as the woodpecker has penetrated almost the entire 24” diameter. Now that he’s starting on the opposite side, the holes will no doubt meet and he will have bored a hole right through the tree. I wonder what he could be doing or thinking?