I almost missed this gorgeous Red-bellied Woodpecker, his mate, and their nesting cavity because I was in the grip of warbler-mania…

The last week of April and the first three weeks of May are one of the most exciting times on the Little Miami River Bike Trail. I never know what sort of neo-tropical migrant is going to show up along the river corridor, and I have to admit I am addicted to the thrill of the hunt. In a post a week or so ago, I talked about that surge of adrenalin that comes every time I spot a new spring migrant. It’s a powerful feeling and definitely drives my birding in the spring, so when I recently headed to the trail with warblers on the brain, I shouldn’t have been surprised at my nonchalant attitude toward one of my favorite birds, a Red-bellied Woodpecker.


As I tried to zoom in on a Chestnut-sided Warbler, this gorgeous fellow kept hovering around me competing for my attention, and I felt warbler-lust push a fuzzy “I don’t have time for this bird--I have to concentrate on the warbler” through my mind. But this loyal winter friend was persistent, and his gentle knocking on the wood and unusual tameness started chipping away at my warbler preoccupation. Slowly, with normal appreciation and love of him returning, I shifted my attention and started studying him.






I walked about five steps further to catch him on the other side of the tree, and there was the female...and next to her, their nesting cavity. I couldn’t believe it. I had almost missed this find because of a spring migrant adrenalin addiction!!




After the female went into the cavity, the male stayed around for a bit before leaving to hunt for food, his calls echoing through the trees as he flew off (almost, it seemed, chastising me for ignoring him, but then forgiving me for finally giving him the attention he deserved...).