Woodpeckers in the neighboorhood!

[pimmithills lady]

We were woken up by a pair this morning of red-headed woodpeckers pecking on our roof in Falls Church! I think they live around our house because we've seen them here and there for months. They are so beautiful but a real nuisance!

[Back to NE]

Originally Posted by newgatedenizen

Downy Woodpeckers are very common around here. In my observation the most prevalent.
Downy Woodpecker, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Red-Bellied are the second most common that I see.

I occasionally see Pileated Woodpeckers (my favorite).
Pileated Woodpecker, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Rarely have I seen the Hairy Woodpecker here in Fairfax County. Not sure why I don't see them more often.
Hairy Woodpecker, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

I'm guessing the brown one you mention is the Northern Flicker.
Northern Flicker, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Another uncommon one that I do see sometimes is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

And I think that would be it for NOVA woodpeckers.

Thanks for this ngd! Yeah the Downy's and Red-bellied's especially are very common and easily seen by anyone looking and listening and living near trees. But the Pileated Peckers are a rare treat, I've seen a couple in Rock Creek Forest in DC but have not seen one yet in NOVA. The legendary Woody Woodpecker was surely based on a Pileated.

Has anyone seen a Pileated Woodpecker in NOVA recently and can I ask where?

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by Back to NE

Has anyone seen a Pileated Woodpecker in NOVA recently and can I ask where?

I have seen them at Lake Accotink, on the trail around the lake.

[TravelNatty]

We're in Annandale and see the red bellied and downey all the time, too. It helps that we have a walk-out basement, so we look into the trees and see all the activity in the branches. I believe the woodpeckers like to drill on gutters or similar metal surfaces to make the loudest noise possible. It's part of the males trying to impress the females - happens every spring.

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by Back to NE

Thanks for this ngd! Yeah the Downy's and Red-bellied's especially are very common and easily seen by anyone looking and listening and living near trees. But the Pileated Peckers are a rare treat, I've seen a couple in Rock Creek Forest in DC but have not seen one yet in NOVA. The legendary Woody Woodpecker was surely based on a Pileated.

Has anyone seen a Pileated Woodpecker in NOVA recently and can I ask where?

Hidden Pond Park/Nature Center, Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, just west of Rolling Road. Though it has been a few years since we lived adjacent to it, we frequently saw Pileated Woodpeckers along the trails there and in the woods behind the houses. And the woodpeckers did make quite a ruckus drilling on the metal siding and gutters.

[ceomom703]

We have a couple in the woods that do some real damage to our trees...