LEWIS’S WOODPECKER at Santee Lakes continues

The Lewis’s Woodpecker at Santee Lakes continues through sunset today (Friday October 3).  It was sighted throughout the day, and almost always at or near the top of the first wooden power pole in the campground.  I had it under observation until just after 6 pm, when it flew from the power pole perch onto the trunk of a nearby palm tree directly across the street and began to climb slowly up the trunk.  I did not see the bird again during the half-hour or so before I departed, but  I believe it continued to move up the trunk into the skirt of dead fronds on the palm (I took photos of the skirt and will examine them tomorrow).

As it moved up, it softly vocalized its “churrrr” call.

I’m not sure who first located this bird, but my thanks and a hat tip (h/t) to that person.

Good birding!

Carl Ebeling

South Mission Hills.