13 replies to this topic

[donnjean]

This is a medium sized woodpecker seen today near Olympia, WA. It has the white stripe on it's back. I think it was all black and white, but it was too far away to get a good look or picture. It may be a Hairy Woodpecker. Any ideas?

[meghann]

It's really hard to gauge size. It could be a hairy or a downy.

[JimBob]

I am not 100% sure, but isn't the black tail (with no white spots) a field mark for hairy?

[meghann]

I am not 100% sure, but isn't the black tail (with no white spots) a field mark for hairy?

It can be, but I see the occasional downy that doesn't have the spots.

[PoorMatty]

It's the white outer tail feathers with no black spots that signify Hairy over Downy, and I don't think you could make a call on this bird either way.

[ColoTomo]

donnjean- any other photos? Side view of the bill ?

[donnjean]

This picture is very blurry and probably doesn't help much, but...

[JimBob]

Ha I know what it is! An Ivory-billed Woodpecker!!! Congrats! (jk)

I am leaning on Downy WP.

[BarnSwallow]

I say Downy also.

[Paruula]

I'm not really sure how valuable this is, but it might be helpful as a supporting detail in an ID like this one. http://www.sibleygui...ry-woodpeckers/

[featherland]

I was quite offended at the rude greeting that poor woman rec'd when she said her husbnd spotted an Ivory-billed woodpecker. I live in FL and we have plenty of Pileated woodpeckers, and Downys, and Hairy's but the Pileated is most likely what her husband had seen in the yard. But so quick to judge! Some of us live on the edges of deep forests and swamps that we calll our 'back yard'. So it would not be unusual to see it there. Not all of us live in sterile communities with bird feeders in the yard and perfectly manicured lawns. There are still some deep swamps here with alligators the size of a 1973 Oldsmoblie and snakes and varioius other critters. Some so deep sunlight hardly penetrates. That's where the bird is, and God willing he will stay there. Many scoff who live in states and countries that have never been to certain parts of our state.

[creeker]

I was quite offended at the rude greeting that poor woman rec'd when she said her husbnd spotted an Ivory-billed woodpecker. I live in FL and we have plenty of Pileated woodpeckers, and Downys, and Hairy's but the Pileated is most likely what her husband had seen in the yard. But so quick to judge! Some of us live on the edges of deep forests and swamps that we calll our 'back yard'. So it would not be unusual to see it there. Not all of us live in sterile communities with bird feeders in the yard and perfectly manicured lawns. There are still some deep swamps here with alligators the size of a 1973 Oldsmoblie and snakes and varioius other critters. Some so deep sunlight hardly penetrates. That's where the bird is, and God willing he will stay there. Many scoff who live in states and countries that have never been to certain parts of our state.

But thousands of expert birders have been there, and none have seen an Ivory-billed. As far as anybody knows, it is extinct. It was a large bird, and it's feeding trees could be spotted from quite a distance. Only a photo could change my mind. Yes it would be "unusual" to see it there, try impossible.

[Pat B.]

So it would not be unusual to see it there.

Actually it would be very unusual because it is extinct. Can't see something that isn't there. Don't you think that some swamprat or other person who is very familiar with that habitat would have been induced by now by that $50,000 bounty on the head of the IBWP if it indeed was hiding there? The fact that most of the scoffers are those who have never stepped into that habitat is somewhat irrelevant. This subject is well-researched and well-documented and there is plenty of written material to read. I've never raised Pigeons or flown them, but I am satisfied that the Passenger Pigeon is extinct: I don't need to be there to know that.

[ColoTomo]

I was quite offended at the rude greeting that poor woman rec'd when she said her husbnd spotted an Ivory-billed woodpecker. I live in FL and we have plenty of Pileated woodpeckers, and Downys, and Hairy's but the Pileated is most likely what her husband had seen in the yard. But so quick to judge! Some of us live on the edges of deep forests and swamps that we calll our 'back yard'. So it would not be unusual to see it there. Not all of us live in sterile communities with bird feeders in the yard and perfectly manicured lawns. There are still some deep swamps here with alligators the size of a 1973 Oldsmoblie and snakes and varioius other critters. Some so deep sunlight hardly penetrates. That's where the bird is, and God willing he will stay there. Many scoff who live in states and countries that have never been to certain parts of our state.

If there was a "dislike" button for your post, I would have pressed it. Rude is in the eye of the beholder, and I'll tell you what-- Donnjean is sweet as pie, kind and polite and doesn't deserve this kind of irrelevant diatribe in this thread. If you'd like to place a grievance, make a new thread. Not sure what 'set you off' but if JimBob's joke about Ivory-billed was it, guess what? He or anyone else has a right to make jokes about it on this forum, there's no rule against it. So leave him alone. I'd hope the mods would move any further responses from featherland to a new topic