Kept seeing  bark dropping to deck and thinking it was the wind blowing things…and finally looked up to see what Charlie was looking at.

These are really big woodpeckers – Body Length 16-20 inch, Wing Span 26-30 Inch.

“Pileated woodpeckers symbolize perseverance, ongoing energy, confidence, and hard work. They dance between earth and the spirit realm and represent caring and nurturing through hardship.” 

They are attracted to dead trees and we had a nice one couple of years ago in old birch tree just outside our dining room window . Their nest is at the top of our hill and I hear them all the time – only see on occasion and this is first time I had a camera ready.

Pretty cool to see.