American Three-toed Woodpecker

American Three-toed Woodpecker

A view of Mt. Wheeler from high above the Summit Trailhead. I felt like I could have quickly gotten there, but that will have to wait for another time. Things would have dramatically changed if the snow got softer.

One of the 'decoys'. I normally enjoy seeing Hairy Woodpeckers, but not when I am searching for an ATTW. The Hairy's seemed to be everywhere. Plus, there were Red-shafted Flickers and even a Red-naped Sapsucker to add to the woodpecker mix.

Last Sunday, my friend/coworker visited Great Basin National Park and reported seeing a Three-toed Woodpecker. I had not even seriously considered these as a possible species to chase. The only problem was I had to work on Saturday and was leaving on Sunday. I decided to head up to the Summit Trailhead on the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive on Tuesday after work. It was a nice sunny day in the valley, but it was cloudy, windy, and stormy at the top of the mountain. The birds were very quiet, and I had no luck with the ATTW. I thought that if I had a chance on Sunday, I'd make a try for it. I got up at four, shooting to see the sunrise on the mountain. It was a glorious morning, the sun was bright, the sky was clear and calm, and all the birds were singing. The snow was still frozen hard enough that I didn't sink. I had about three hours to search. I didn't find the guy until less than an hour before leaving for the airport. It was such a relief to find him.