Winter Wildlife

Our little acre sits in the middle of a big open field just a few miles inland from Lake Michigan. There is always a nice breeze in the summer, our sunsets are spectacular but the winter winds are fierce! When Jason bought this place he began planting windbreaks between the old maple trees. He planted a mix of pine & cedars because they grow quickly to help stop the drifting snow.

​​The side yard between the house & drive is the most protected area. It's a perfect spot to hang feeders. We offer two types of suet (song bird & woodpecker) and Jason fills 3 feeders with black oil sunflower seeds every day. We watch the birds from our dining room window and keep our bird identification book near by. We have a mix of finch, chickadees, doves, a cardinal pair and 5 varieties of woodpecker coming in including these awesome pileated woodpeckers.

Free sunflower seeds & suet at Pillywiggins Garden
​All You Can Eat!

We've had these two coming in for a few years now but this is the first time we have seen them at the feeder together. So, I decided to do a little research and learned they are likely a nesting pair. One is smaller than the other but they are both colored the same. ​

Pileated woodpeckers are the 2nd largest woodpecker in the U.S. They can be found in the eastern U.S., Great Lakes region, the snow forests of Canada and in some parts of the Pacific Northwest. They prefer large tracks of old growth forest. Pairs defend their turf aggressively but it was noted that they cut trespassers some slack during the winter months. We do notice the other birds keep their distance when the pileated come in.

Pileated woodpeckers have a loud "jungle bird" call and create large square shaped holes in the trees in search of food. They eat insects, fruits, nuts and berries including carpenter ants and poison ivy berries. They are not typically feeder birds except in areas with harsh winters.

What I found most interesting...
​The oldest known living pair of pileated woodpeckers lived to be almost 13 years old! 12 years and 11 months to be exact. If we're lucky we'll be watching this pair for many more years to come.

Fox Squirrel

​Apparently word has gotten out to the squirrels. Look at this little piggy! He is a fox squirrel. We see him every day and finally caught him in the act of robbing our feeder. He's quite the daredevil hanging upside down by his back feet. He grabs the feeder with his front paws and pours the seeds into his cheeks! I'd like to find his stash and recoup some of our seed but it looks like he has been eating most of it. What a chunk!

​The fox squirrel has now taught the red squirrel the trick to raiding our feeder. It's comical to watch the little red squirrel. It's quite a stretch for him to reach but somehow he manages. I hope to catch him in the act but so far he has been faster than our camera. He's made his home in one of our old maples. I hope he stays there. Red squirrels can be destructive little buggers! I don't want him in my attic or garage!

Red Squirrel

For now I'll enjoy his company and keep my fingers crossed he doesn't do any damage. But we already know how that story goes. A few years ago we spent the winter watching a cute little bunny hop around our side yard. Spring came and our little buddy found another home. At first I was bummed that he'd left us but that only lasted until the snow melted and I found our Japanese maple chewed to shreds! I guess that's the price you pay for living the wildlife.  :)