Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Black-backed Woodpecker

This photo of a Black-backed Woodpecker was taken on 4 December 2014, when I went for a short walk in Fish Creek Park. I had been trying to do several short walks to see if it made any difference at all to the level of pain in my back. (Have to go for back X-Rays this week, hopefully today if I can get myself organized.) The weather has been so beautiful recently, too – we all know that it is going to change back to “winter” before too long. Also, a short time in the park can (if you are lucky!) be simply amazing. I happened to come across a female Pileated Woodpecker near the base of a tree. Almost impossible to get a sharp photo because she just didn’t stop banging her head against the tree. While I was trying to get a photo, a much smaller bird flew over my head and landed on the same tree, about 4’ higher. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that it was a male Black-backed Woodpecker (rare in Alberta, just like the two American Three-toed Woodpeckers that I saw in a different part of the park, on two different days last week). Talk about being lucky! The Black-backed Woodpecker is very similar to the American Three-toed Woodpecker - and the males of both species have the small yellow patch on the forehead. "The American Three-toed Woodpecker is similar, but with white barring on back and hind neck, white line behind eye, weaker barring on flanks, and more white in wings." From AllABoutBirds. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-backed_Woodpecker/id

The Black-backed Woodpecker is rare to uncommon year-round in Alberta. I was lucky this afternoon and came across this female down at Shannon Terrace in Fish Creek Park. Lighting is always so bad in the forest, and these birds are usually high up in a tree when I happen to see them, so not a good quality image.

I was SO thrilled this morning when I got the chance to see my very first Black-backed Woodpecker during a walk at Griffith Woods! Couldn't get a decent photo, but I was still happy to get this one! This bird is rare to uncommon year round in Alberta, living in coniferous forests. This is a male, as it has a yellow patch on its forehead.

I was SO thrilled last weekend when someone in my group found a rare male Black-backed Woodpecker for us at Griffith Woods. Since then, I received an e-mail to say that a Black-backed Woodpecker had also been seen at Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park. Well, I took myself off to explore this afternoon and, guess what, I found this female (i.e. no yellow patch on the head)! Talk about being lucky! Mind you, it did take a lot of time, patience and listening to find it. Actually, I came across it twice, in two slightly different places. At least this time I managed to get a clear view with no tangle of tiny branches, but the light was not good, deep within the forest. Also saw a Brown Creeper, which you don't see very often. Definitely worth braving the cold : )