Canada (Ontario)
Dec 29 2021
male, adult, outside normal range
Constance Bay - A few Black-backs venture south of their boreal habitat in winter but they remain a rare visitor. They are usually found in forests with red or jack pine and work on dead or dying trees. I have seen a few and heard more over the years but never had a chance to get decent photos. This bird took hours to track down but in the end I got plenty of good shots. However, getting the forehead patch of the male to show was extremely challenging. If you don't see it, the bird looks like a female.
Dec 30 2021
Great find, nicely captured.
It was worth the effort. For those unfamiliar with it, be listening for subtle taps, not the noisy tapping of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. If it calls, so much the better, but the bird never did call for us. We zeroed in on its tapping.
That’s a great tip. It was the way I found the old Three-toed I ever saw as well.
Fabulous work!
This photo result was years in the making. I was very pleased.
Happy New Year!
Here’s hoping we all have a year filled with great birding experiences.
Wow! Brian!
Great find and capture!!
It’s an attractive bird, very cooperative once you find it.