My giant of a husband Moe (6'4", 280#), wages constant war with the carpenter bees on our back deck. Because I'm not fond of harmful insecticides, he keeps an old tennis racket handy to whack at the bees when we're supposedly relaxing with a nice glass of wine overlooking the backyard in the evenings. The ongoing battle of Moe vs the carpenter bees is one of my greatest sources of entertainment. It's a regular David and Goliath story. And as in the original version, David keeps winning.
Perhaps Moe will be pleased when I tell him about the well-equipped stranger who came to his assistance today. I had just returned from morning yoga practice with my yayas when I heard the telltale ratatat of woodpecker just outside the bedroom door that opens onto the deck. I assumed it was the red bellied friend that often comes to the feeder.
But no! Even without glasses I could tell by the size and color it was a pileated woodpecker hard at work on the banister. He stayed long enough for me to find glasses and phone. These shots had to be snapped through the glass, since opening the door would have scared the fellow off. Hence, they're blurry. Still, how thrilling, the gift of a pileated woodpecker. Not to mention funny. Wish I had thought to make a video of this guy. I'm not sure he knew what to make of the bee that kept buzzing around his head.
And I don't know if Moe will be more grateful for the eviction of the bee or upset with the further damage done to the banister, but I was over the moon at the opportunity to observe a pileated woodpecker going eye-to-eye with a carpenter bee a dozen feet from where I stood. dkm
