[obol] RBA: Red-headed Woodpecker, Malheur NWR

[Luke Redmond]

OBOL,
Today I saw an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER on the CPR (more specific directions later) at Malheur.  I was doing my every third or fourth day task of checking kingbird nests, approaching the territory of a pair whose original nest failed and needed to locate the replacement nest.  As I approached the tree the original nest was in, an approximately robin-sized bird flew being chased by a male kingbird.  The bird was strikingly black and white with a brilliant red head.  My first thought, until caught the head color a split second later, was "damn, the magpies found the new nest before I did", then I saw the red head and, out loud said, "wow (not my exact exclamation) that's a Red-headed Woodpecker!".  Although it was vigorously chased by kingbirds, it stayed within the same general area, and I watched it for over the next hour (from about 1030am until 1145am).  Here is what I saw:
-Predominantly black and white bird with striking, bright red head, there was no streaking or stripes (e.g. the white areas were entirely white, the same with the black)
-Breast and belly entirely white
-Back and wings mostly black, with two white patches on the wings that, when perched, formed a triangle whose apex pointed toward the tail
-Black tail
-Some secondaries and primaries looked all white forming a very conspicous white window in flight
-When not perched it was flycathing medium to large-sized insects
Being originally from Michigan, Red-headed Woodpecker is a species I've seen many times, and am very confident in the identification.  During the hour that I watched it, I was able to get several photographs.  Unfortunately my digital camera was the victim of a canoe accident a few weeks ago, so all I have now is a film camera so I can't quickly send any pictures of the bird.  Throughout the whole time watched it stayed in the same area which is approximately 925 meters south of the old 5 Mile Bridge/Northern end of Knox Pond along the CPR.  There are two large box-elders in this area (about the only two for at least a kilometer) that serve as pretty decent landmarks.  When not perched in either of these (where it was hard to see, and it didn't vocalize the entire time I was there), it was usually perched fairly conspicuously at the tops of dead willows.  It seemed to especially favor a patch of willows (mostly living, with taller dead trees protruding from the middle) about 30 meters east of the road in the area (it was still perched in this spot when I drove back by at about 200pm).  If anyone is interested (and if the OBRC website is correct about this being a potential second state record, then some will be) I will post again if I see it over the next few days.  Good birding.
Luke Redmond
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