Woodpecker's work on a dead tree!

you have to feel sorry for that tree :D

Wow Lori, you still have snow??? When does spring arrive for you?

I wonder if this is a woodpecker's idea of a bug house? lol
I guess the woodpecker hasn't done any damage as the tree was already on its way out...looks interesting and unlike anything I've ever seen before, Lori.

Paul, you are so sympathetic...the poor tree was long dead and I think the reason the woodpecker's excavations follow a spiral pattern is because the tree was a nest for wood ants...
Alexandra...yes we have snow in the bush. it's rapidly melting. Yesterday we had our first day in the 60's and the runoff is roaring down the creek...What you see in the pic is the north face of a very large hill which gets very little direct sun to melt the snow..depending on the temps over the next month or so I may still find pockets of it until June!...sad but true.
W'lass...lol...I think the woodpecker was thinking =) "lucky me!" and yes the tree was dead long enough for ants to take up residence.

is that the pileated woodpecker you posted some piccies of earlier?
no dangers of the creek bursting its banks this time of the year? some melted snow to race through there!
i am just trying to catch up with all your blogs and photos, what a project lori, chapeau!
love the fact our gardening environments are such total opposites.
enjoy the spring, when it settles...

Hi Resi! ...the creek is well over it's banks..will have to take and post a pic. We had heavy rain yesterday and the snow on the northface of our hill is still there! The air is warm enough that there is a constant mist. It's taking so long. Today's temps are forecast to be around 18 C. !!! hopefully it won't take long for the rest of it to melt at that temp.
How are things in the south of France this spring?

Gee Lori I am surprised you have that much snow....all gone at my place in Nova Scotia .

Hi Nancy! Spring has been very slow to develop...today it was 18 degrees and sunny, but really terrible winds.
The snow in the bush is almost gone... but the forecast is dipping again into the negatories. Dave Phillips, of Environment Canada said that we would have a colder than usual spring...sure hate it when they get it right! lol...