Snow and Signs of Woodpeckers

   After a winter storm dumped inches of snow on throughout the midwest, I found myself with 5.5 inches of snow and drifts up to a foot and a half deep and loving it.

   I did what I always do in such occasions: I donned my overalls, coat and gloves, grabbed my camera and tripod, and headed out to explore the woods behind my house (even though I have done this so many times I know every inch of them by memory; somehow snow always makes the woods seem new and more interesting). While I was plodding through the snow and pushing through the occasional clump of briars, I decided to head to the edge of the property line where the creek on my property began.

   On arriving at the spot, I saw a dead tree leaning (hanging, rather) against a similar-sized tree. What I almost immeadiately noticed was the numerous woodpecker holes on the tree:

I am guessing that the species that pecked away at this ol' tree was a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, which is the most common species in my woods. I have ruled out the Downy Woodpecker, which would have been to small to make these holes. On the other hand, the Pileated Woodpecker would have been to large. This leaves only three species possible. Hairy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers (I excluded the Red-Headed Woodpecker and the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker, as I have never seen them in my woods). Using the process of elimination, I ruled out Hairy Woodpeckers, because there aren't many of them around, and I have ruled out the Northern Flicker, because they are more common in the neighbor's woods. That leaves the species which I first expected, the Red-Bellied Woodpecker.

   Of course I have no evidence ruling out the Hairy, Norther Flicker, Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker and Red-Headed woodpecker species; It is just mere speculation.