Nuttall's & Downy Woodpeckers Feast After Rain

By Dave Brooks

Female Nuttall’s Woodpecker

This female Nuttall’s Woodpecker was busy working a dead tree for breakfast on March 9. These woodpeckers were very close to the creekside path I was walking on, I would never have seen them but for hearing the muted thud, thud, thudding of them hammering into the soft, wet bark and wood of this dead tree.

Male Nuttall’s Woodpecker

And her mate was right along side. Even though I was very close to them, they did not seem to be bothered by my presence at all. I had to work like crazy to try and get a sightline clear enough to them for photos and to squeeze in the focal point between all of the branches and emerging flowers. And it kept drizzling every other minute. But it was all good fun capturing these images.

Female Downy Woodpecker

They were up and down, around and round this tree, enjoying the bountiful feeding immediately following a long rainy spell here in Sonoma County.

Downy Female

Nuttall’s Woodpeckers are only found in California and stretching down into Baja and up into Oregon a bit. They are often mistaken for Downy Woodpeckers, Downy’s are found throughout North America.