The Wildlife Chronicles of Salem, AL: Woody Woodpecker

Several times a week, while sitting at my desk, typing papers for my Graduate degree classes and studying peer reviewed, scholarly articles and scientific studies, I hear this unrelenting knocking or tapping noise. It sounds like someone tapping a piece of wood with a metal rod. Tap, Tap, Tap......
It goes on for quite awhile to the point where it breaks my concentration and warrants investigation.



So I go outside to the large pine trees in front of my house and look around. Sure enough, Tap, Tap, Tap...... Then I see the culprit. A woodpecker of all things. Makes perfect sense of course. Now I have tried to get pictures of him. They come out blurry and out of focus because Woody does not like photo shoots. So I was forced to scour the web to find pics that resemble my particular brand of Woody.

Searching through several websites, I found a couple of possible suspects on www.outdooralabama.com. It appears that my Woody is either a Hairy woodpecker or a Downy Woodpecker. They look very much alike. And my Woody looks like both of them. I will conduct surveillance on Woody, the next time he is knocking on my tree. Hopefully, I will be able to make out some finer details to narrow down this mystery. And hopefully I'll be able to get my own pic of him. 

I don't really mind his knocking anymore, now that I know who it is. Nature is a wonderful thing most of the time, except for like the big ass tornado that almost blew my neighborhood away a few months ago. Woody is a good addition to the cast and characters that make up the wild circus outside my house. Who will be the next to make the list? Stay tuned to find out. Until then peace be with you and all that.

Eric Dempsey
Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Retired
NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Specialist
Graduate Student in Exercise Science at Cal U.
Dempseys Resolution Fitness
www.dempseysresolution.com