Red-cockaded Woodpecker

As promised, I'm finally getting around to making a post on my Red-cockaded Woodpecker sightings. I'll start right from the beginning.

Early on in the planning of our trip, I mentioned to my parents that we were about an hour and a half hour drive from one of the best spots to see an endangered species that is on the decline. With enough persistence, I was able to get them intrigued and they agreed to drive me there on one of the days of our trip to Panama City Beach. We decided on Friday, the day before my brother's race but there was a catch. Although we left early in the morning to head for Apalachicola National Forest (Florida's largest national forest), we had to be back to the hotel by 2:00 to take my brother's (Jamie) bike to the race transition area. We left and arrived at the park by 8:00 giving us 4 hours to find the Red-cockaded Woodpecker (listed as common year-round in the ABA Birder's Guide to Florida). I was in charge of directions and although I had looked at both the atlas and the birder's guide before leaving, I still managed to take us down the wrong road into the park (which was also a longer route than was necessary). So, the entire time we were looking for the birds (and trees marked with a white ring around their base indicating cavity locations), we were in the wrong location. Mind you, the birding was great here so it wasn't all bad. As mentioned in an earlier post, we found Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, and Pileated Woodpecker...but no Red-cockaded. Warblers were abundant and Eastern Bluebirds were constantly flying past.

Around 10:30 I started to feel the urgency and it was around that time that I also realized we were on the wrong road! Change of plans, we quickly drove south on the road to a "town" called Sumatra, which was actually just a small gas station. I decided to go in and ask if there were any reports of Red-cockaded Woodpecker nearby recently (even though I now knew we were on the right track). The woman in the gas station snickered at me and complained that "those woodpeckers stopped us from logging this land." I got a really bad Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe from the place so I quickly just told my parents to drive down the new road, called the Apalachee Savannahs Scenic Byway. The habitat here was made up of pristine, mature Longleaf/Wiregrass woods, shrub-swamp, and cypress stands providing a beautiful drive through pinewoods and savannah where controlled burning takes place. This is prime habitat for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker, which builds cavities in mature (60 years or older) Longleaf Pines that have been infected with Red-heart, a fungal disease that softens the heartwood. With such specific habitat requirements, it's no wonder the species is endangered in an area that is constantly undergoing development. I was also shocked to read that it might take up to three years to build a cavity, often undertaken by a trio of birds, an adult male and female with a young male from a previous brood. However, there are also human-made cavities in the area to further protect the species. Also interesting is that the birds drill 'resin wells' around the cavity entrance, which is thought to detract predators as well as identify the tree.

Finally, around 11:15, we found our first pines marked with the telltale white rings around their trunks. I knew I was running out of time and frantically searched for woodpeckers and listened for drumming but to no avail. Around noon, after we had driven most of the scenic byway and stopped at various white-marked trees, we had to give up and call it a day (I later learned that one of the calls I heard was indeed a Red-cockaded Woodpecker and I cursed myself for not listening to their calls on my tapes before leaving). My parents must have sensed my disappointment (and I daresay they were really getting into the hunt at that point) and so they agreed that we would come back the day we were leaving Panama City Beach, but this time we would start in the right location at dawn. The birds leave their cavities just before sunrise and it is the best time to see them as they often hang around their cavities for a while before spreading throughout the national forest.

Now, here's where the real fun begins. Sunday night, after the race on Saturday, there was a party going on at a nightclub that is adjacent to the United States' largest bar (so both are very popular). Jamie and I decided to go but didn't realize how late we'd be. I admit, I probably had a bit too much to drink (O.K., way too much to drink...especially since it took us an hour to walk home - and I was wearing flip-flops). The moment I stumbled into the hotel room (around 3:00am), my parents were already up packing for us to leave to go to Apalachicola National Forest and then home. At this point, I started drinking lots of water to try to sober up and slept maybe 20 minutes on the drive the park. When we got there, the brisk morning air woke me up and I no longer felt the alcohol. It was time to find this bird! About ten minutes after we stopped along the road at the first white-marked trees, my mom motioned me back to the van when she heard drumming on a nearby tree. I looked up and saw my first Red-cockaded Woodpecker. My relief, excitement, and the realization of just how rare this species is sunk in and I couldn't take my binoculars off the bird.

All of us got great looks after that. We ended up seeing about 5-6 birds in total, all of them noisy and active. At one point, I had three individuals on the same tree. Just before dawn is definitely the time to look for these birds and the experience is spectacular. I was actually able to witness one bird poke its head out of a cavity and then emerge and fly across to join two other birds. As I studied their field marks and behaviour, I noted the large white cheek patch, the white-barred black back, the dense spotting and barring on their underside, and their black tail. The red 'cockade' at the back of the head, which the species is named after, was not visible on any birds. Nor did any of the individuals I saw have any coloured bands. I also noted the social aspect of this species, forming small groups that actively nest and forage together. I couldn't get over how noisy they were with a strange nasal call that was made frequently. After about half an hour, the birds started to disperse as quickly as they had emerged. Definitely my best birding experience of the year.