White-headed Woodpecker, Picoides albolarvatus


 White-headed Woodpecker     White-headed WoodpeckerA pair of White-headed woodpeckers, the female left, the male right, both carrying food to their nestlings; the male is at the nest. I took these pictures at Yuba Pass summit north of Lake Tahoe in the California Sierras, one of the best places to find this species. Nesting woodpeckers provide excellent photo-ops; find a spot with a good view of an active nest where you are inconspicuous enough not to disturb the birds, and wait for the adults to do their thing. White-headed Woodpeckers, among the most striking-looking of the typical (Picoides) woodpeckers, are found only in the mountains of the North American far west.      



White-headed Woodpecker
Another male feeding nestlings, this one bringing a big spider.



White-headed Woodpecker
And another female on her way to her babies, carrying food.