Unusual display by three pileated woodpeckers that seemed to be involved in a territorial and/or courtship dispute. One was chased off fairly quickly. The remaining two warily circled around the trunk of a large, white pine moving slowly upward, bills uplifted like poised rapiers, eying each other all the time, although one wonders whether ti what extent they were seeing as opposed to sensing since much of the time they were almost 180 degrees separated.

Quite a display. Have never had three at once, and usually a pileated when observed here is busily and noisily moving from one location to another.

Blake Allison

 
95 Whipple Hill Rd.
Lyme, NH 03768-3322
603-795-4167