Red-headed Woodpeckers are somewhat common in Brown County.  Most of the
area is rural.  I found a nest in Ohio BBS block 75D7NE.  The nest is
actually in an isolated subdivision that was being built and put on hold
during this economic situation in our country.  The tree that contains the
nest has many dead limbs in the top and the nest cavity is in one of these
limbs.  The nest is in a lone tree next to the road on a large vacant lot.
The big problem for this pair and all Red-headed woodpeckers is the European
Starlings who like to take over the nesting cavities.  Every time I check
this nest there are at least three starlings sitting outside and the male
woodpecker uses energy trying to chase them away.  The woodpeckers have been
successful at driving the starlings away for three weeks now.

In Clermont county I have found nesting evidence for the last two years in
some dead trees on the East Fork of the Little Miami river where it feeds
Harsha Lake in East Fork State Park.  I saw birds and young last year and
I've seen a lot of activity this year.  I view the trees from a good
distance so I haven't actually seen the nest cavities.

So to answer your question, I think that in Clermont and Brown Counties they
are hanging on.  I really don't thing they are doing any better here.  What
I find is they tend to move nesting locations from year to year.  My thought
is they have to move to stay ahead of the starlings.

Bill Stanley
Willimsburg OH.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greg
Spahr
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2009 8:40 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [Ohio-birds] Red Headed Woodpeckers

In the last week, I have seen two different Red Headed Woodpeckers (one
in Seneca County near Fostoria, and the other in Greene County in
downtown Wilberforce).  Usually, I can go for years without seeing one,
and I happened to just stumble upon these two.  So I thought I would
ask the group how your perceptions of this species are this year.  Are
you seeing more of them, or did I just get lucky and see a couple even
though they are still declining in Ohio?

Good birding,

Greg Spahr
Fairborn, Ohio

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