Hairy Woodpecker on Birch

"Is it a hairy or a downy? I couldn't count all of the times I've asked myself that question. It probably started, in my case, at the age of 12, the year I had my first bird list. This question is the beginning of seeing the world as a birder sees it. Does the bird seem to have a sort of heavy bill or a more petite bill? Is it more like 9 1/2" or 6 1/2"? These are judgment calls. One could say that many things in life are judgment calls. After some experience, one just gets the feel of the distinction.

The hairy woodpecker is bigger both in size and in relative bill size. He is also "bigger" in his sharp call. To be sure, it is always best to get a glimpse of the outer tail feathers. The hairy has clear, white feathers while the downy has a few black marks. I tell all of this because of my strong belief that being a birder is good for one's powers of observation. Paying attention to particularity in nature is a good thing in my opinion. And birds are a good place to start.

The white birch, of course, caught my eye because of the flourishing curls of the peeling bark. These trees are not only a part of the natural world of my childhood, they hold the fascinating connection as a useful resource material for birch bark canoes and other utensils of our native peoples.