Pileated Woodpecker - 07 Oct 2026
Skies cleared overnight here on Mackinac Island and it was a comfortable 57ºF at 9 am when I took another walk around Mackinac Island State Park. The White-crowned Sparrow flock continued in the Maintenance Yard and surrounding field of Common Tansy and Gray-headed Coneflower . The White-crowned Sparrows were uncooperative, but a few Song Sparrows played a bit nicer. A couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers made brief appearances in a nearby spruce followed by a foraging Palm Warbler that was playing hard to get. As I stood in the field waiting for the Palm Warbler to work its way around from the back of the spruce I heard the call of a Pileated Woodpecker . Merlin confirmed. I heard the Pileated Woodpecker call again from somewhere nearby and raised my camera as it came flying into view. It was flying toward me, flew right over the top of me, and continued across the field to my right. Lady Luck shone on me this morning as the Pileated Woodpecker then circled back around me fo...
