This is the dead ash tree in our front yard that has been the site of so much drama this summer. A Red-Bellied Woodpecker pair started excavating the nest hole at the very top of the tree around the end of March.

A pair of European Starlings took it over for a few days, followed by a family of flying squirrels who moved in next. It was the middle of April when the woodpeckers started seriously trying to reclaim it.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-735706-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-739103-1.html


RBWPsNestTree05Jun2022A by Marshall Smith, on Flickr



This is the female RBWP on her way up to her newly reclaimed nest.

FemaleRBWP_CheckingTheNest_30May2022A by Marshall Smith, on Flickr



I've read that the female will lay one egg a day until she has a full clutch of usually four eggs, and they don't begin to incubate them until all are laid. Both parents sit on the nest, with the male usually taking the night shift.

MaleRBWP_Calling_01Jun2022_096 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

So for the last week or so I've only seen the male, coming to the nest several times a day, looking, then flying off somewhere.

I had it in my head that they had a full clutch by now and were incubating their eggs, taking turns sitting them.
I was expecting the grey forehead of a female Red-Bellied to peek out for a break. Instead I got this...



Birds05Jun2022_271 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

THEY'RE BACK!
And to add insult to injury, a few moments later, this:

PairOfFlyingSquirrels_05Jun2022_310 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


The day after this bombshell the male woodpecker came by for a cursory check. He looked into the nest but stayed less than 30 seconds then flew off.


MaleRBWP_LeavingTree06Jun2022 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


The future of these two animal families is literally "up in the air." I'll keep everyone posted on further developments.


Marshall

This is the dead ash tree in our front yard that has been the site of so much drama this summer. A Red-Bellied Woodpecker pair started excavating the nest hole at the very top of the tree around the end of March.

A pair of European Starlings took it over for a few days, followed by a family of flying squirrels who moved in next. It was the middle of April when the woodpeckers started seriously trying to reclaim it.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-735706-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-739103-1.html


RBWPsNestTree05Jun2022A by Marshall Smith, on Flickr



This is the female RBWP on her way up to her newly reclaimed nest.

FemaleRBWP_CheckingTheNest_30May2022A by Marshall Smith, on Flickr



I've read that the female will lay one egg a day until she has a full clutch of usually four eggs, and they don't begin to incubate them until all are laid. Both parents sit on the nest, with the male usually taking the night shift.

MaleRBWP_Calling_01Jun2022_096 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

So for the last week or so I've only seen the male, coming to the nest several times a day, looking, then flying off somewhere.

I had it in my head that they had a full clutch by now and were incubating their eggs, taking turns sitting them.
I was expecting the grey forehead of a female Red-Bellied to peek out for a break. Instead I got this...



Birds05Jun2022_271 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

THEY'RE BACK!
And to add insult to injury, a few moments later, this:

PairOfFlyingSquirrels_05Jun2022_310 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


The day after this bombshell the male woodpecker came by for a cursory check. He looked into the nest but stayed less than 30 seconds then flew off.


MaleRBWP_LeavingTree06Jun2022 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


The future of these two animal families is literally "up in the air." I'll keep everyone posted on further developments.


Marshall

This is the dead ash tree in our front yard that has been the site of so much drama this summer. A Red-Bellied Woodpecker pair started excavating the nest hole at the very top of the tree around the end of March.

A pair of European Starlings took it over for a few days, followed by a family of flying squirrels who moved in next. It was the middle of April when the woodpeckers started seriously trying to reclaim it.

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-735706-1.html

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-739103-1.html


RBWPsNestTree05Jun2022A by Marshall Smith, on Flickr



This is the female RBWP on her way up to her newly reclaimed nest.

FemaleRBWP_CheckingTheNest_30May2022A by Marshall Smith, on Flickr



I've read that the female will lay one egg a day until she has a full clutch of usually four eggs, and they don't begin to incubate them until all are laid. Both parents sit on the nest, with the male usually taking the night shift.

MaleRBWP_Calling_01Jun2022_096 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

So for the last week or so I've only seen the male, coming to the nest several times a day, looking, then flying off somewhere.

I had it in my head that they had a full clutch by now and were incubating their eggs, taking turns sitting them.
I was expecting the grey forehead of a female Red-Bellied to peek out for a break. Instead I got this...



Birds05Jun2022_271 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr

THEY'RE BACK!
And to add insult to injury, a few moments later, this:

PairOfFlyingSquirrels_05Jun2022_310 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


The day after this bombshell the male woodpecker came by for a cursory check. He looked into the nest but stayed less than 30 seconds then flew off.


MaleRBWP_LeavingTree06Jun2022 by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


The future of these two animal families is literally "up in the air." I'll keep everyone posted on further developments.


Marshall