My post on that old CBC in town elicited a lot of replies, mostly
off-list. I will pass along news and info about this species from
well-informed correspondents:
        "Red-headed woodpeckers have increased markedly in Oak Openings
Preserve Metropark since the Tornado came through in June 2010. Thinning
of oak woodlands and burning of understories have also created favorable
habitat. It was not too many years ago that you had to hunt for
Red-headed woodpeckers on a Big Day (or any day for that matter) to make
sure you got it on your list. This is clearly a big winter for them.
Last year, few overwintered. Whether they stay or migrate south is
likely driven by the acorn crop. My guess is that, in recent years,
you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere in the state that's more
productive for this great woodpecker species."
        This is an interesting reminder. It is possible that parklands can, if
protected or just by chance, not support birds that might profit from
natural events like fires, tornadoes, etc. Another correspondent
mentioned: "Much of Columbus's periphery then was made up of small
farms, with large hedgerows of trees & bushes separating fields, not
unlike some of the Amish areas today.  That's been totally changed,
first by farm amalgamation, then by suburbanization."
        Finally, Peterjohn wrote (p.292 of 2001 edition): "Ideal Red-headed
Woodpecker nesting habitats are fields with scattered open woodlots and
telephone poles provide suitable cavities...[their] numbers increased
rapidly after 1860, when open farmlands with numerous fencerows and
small woodlots provided nearly ideal habitats."
        A real sleuth might be able to describe the landscape this CBC was
enacted in; all I can venture to say is they had no lakes or rivers on
their route!
Bill Whan
Cols

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