We’d seen this individual the day before. It appeared it had impact damage to its left wing that was in the process of healing. It flew just fine, had no problem gliding just above the surface with ease but the wing wouldn’t completely fold into its body at rest. On more than one occasion it would perch on a piling as pelicans like to do and on this occasion its body gesture sent my mind into goofy land. The first image I saw as it talking to its imaginary friend about the good old days. The next image it’s smelling it pits getting ready for a hot date. The two poses came back to back, literally. I was taking the first image when it changed to the second pose. I let the Z 9 rip, its 20fps capturing what my warped sense of humor was seeing. The photos still make me chuckle, all with a turn of the head.

Sharon especially has always had a thing for Pileated Woodpeckers. These big birds have a ton of character! A year after coming to The Ranch, a male showed up which was a total shocker. They are not supposed to be up in the Sapphires where we live. They’re in the flats miles below us, thick in the Bitterroots on the other side of the valley, but we don’t have the forests they prefer. We didn’t mind having what we thought was a wayward male for a few days. We saw him on and off, a glimpse here and there for a week or so. Then in late summer, two fledglings showed up for over a week, that meant they had nested somewhere in the neighborhood. Then nothing for months and months and months. We were crushed but that’s how it is with birds. Then last fall a female appeared and by Thanksgiving becoming a daily regular. She had just left the feeder the other morning after her 09:30 breakie when I said to Sharon as I was heading out to the hide for a couple of hours, “You know, where there’s girls, the guys will follow!”

I was in the hide for just a short time when I heard the Pileated pounding on a tree, then calling. I thought it was slightly odd the female was coming back so soon as she normally reappears in mid afternoon. I texted Sharon the female was drumming and gave it no more thought. Then I saw that classic black form come gliding past the hide confirming her presence. A few minutes later I heard their distinctive drumming on our Owl Box #1. Man, was that loud! I texted Sharon who looked out from the office and confirmed its presence. We both assumed it was the female again so didn’t glass to confirm. Then it flew to Owl Box #3, the photo above. I slowly swung the lens to watch it when I saw, it was a male! He was on the property advertising for spring having seen the female that was just feeding. He’s been back a couple times since, the female keeping her daily schedule. We’re incredibly excited at the possibility of nesting Pileateds! Turns out, they have been known to use nesting boxes. We don’t have the right size, old pines they require to nest so we have hopes for spring.

Wolves display all sorts of attributes. The unity of the pack is one that tugs at my heart as they are all for one and one for all the majority of the time. It has been shown that each wolf has a unique howl and that they communicate various aspects of life through a howl. Personally, unless they are close and there are multiple individuals howling at the same time, it all sounds the same. On this amazing morning, we were parked when we heard from the forest the howl of one, and then two wolves. It never lasts long enough for my liking but it’s a song I never forget from each encounter. The Northern Rocky Wolves have slowly made progress in reclaiming some of their historic range. Once you’re in their home you will know what I mean as you say, “the song came from the forest.”