ML615107730
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
- Playback
- Not specified
Observation details
Male seen and heard around (37.3988, -122.2346), where trail follows the boundary between oak savanna and riparian forest. We first heard subdued Pileated calls that seemed fairly distant. Then, as we kept walking, we heard heavy-sounding tapping that seemed promising for Pileated, then spotted this bird pecking at a rotten branch fairly high in a large, lichen-draped, leafless oak, I think a valley oak. We enjoyed watching it foraging here for a while, then continued our transect, walking right under it without it seeming to mind too much. It eventually flew down into some other trees along the creek, then moved off to the north through the riparian forest. I sometimes struggle with identifying this species to sex, but I got good views that showed the red crown extending all the way to the forehead and the bill, and red on the malar, so I'm confident it was a male. The bird gave the burst of calls in this recording when it moved from one branch to another.
Technical information
- Recorder
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 1.75 MB