[mou] Black backed woodpecker, Pine County

[Deb Sewell]

Today we were watching some grouse come out of the woods near our house, when a woodpecker caught my eye. It was on a branch where a lot of bark had been cleared recently, and it had a very dark back. My binoculars were in the car. 

Later, when I had the binocs, I headed into the woods to investigate a persistent tapping. I found a female black backed woodpecker.

We have lots of dead or dying white pine boughs in our woods. I'm sure she's been around for a while, maybe since last spring when I saw a female black backed, and I don't think she'll be going anywhere any time soon.