[EBB Sightings] Pileated Woodpecker in Lower Montclair, Oakland

A little after two Monday afternoon (April 28), while I was gardening in my
backyard, a Pileated Woodpecker called nearly over my head and landed in a
dead Monterey Pine nearby. By the time I had climbed down a ladder, raced
into the house for binoculars and back out and up the hill, perusing the
pine turned up nothing. But then another call came from a redwood up a few
houses. As I strained to find the bird, it flew out across the street. I
didn't see it clearly because there are so many trees, but the size was
right. It called again after four o'clock and after five.

Last year on June 7 I heard one call nearby once in the afternoon and was so
surprised that I thought I must not have been paying enough attention
because it shouldn't have been here. Then on June 12, I heard both calling
and drumming. At that point in time, my e-mail wasn't working so I didn't
report it.

I have had a lot of experience with Pileateds since we bought a cabin in the
forest in southern Mendocino County eighteen years ago. We hear and see them
often and recently had one working a stump just 20' from our kitchen.

I am aware of sightings on the east side and near the crest of the East Bay
Hills but not lower down on the west side. I think that the first East Bay
occurrence was in the spring of 1991 in Canyon on the east side. Our
Not-So-Oldsquaws Birdathon team went after it.

We are on Harbord Drive, which is two blocks below the Warren Freeway (Hwy
13), in the first block south of Moraga Avenue at about 660' elevation. I'd
like feedback if there have been other observations down on the west side.

Dianne Sierra

 

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