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(Posted
8 a.m., July 11)
Vandal
woodpecker returns to Blackburn Hamlet street
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline.ca
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 Blackburn
Hamlet resident Gary Goy managed to take these
pictures of the woodpecker that has been pecking
and cracking rearview mirrors on cars along
Beechmont Crescent. Photo courtesy of Gary Goy
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Peck,
peck, peck, Woody or Winnie is back in Blackburn Hamlet.
The mischievous woodpecker that wreaked havoc last summer
with vehicle mirrors on Beechmont Crescent has been spotted
once again.
In
the spring and summer of 2017, the winged warrior had
a destructive habit of pecking at its reflection in the
side view mirrors of the cars, trucks or SUVs that were
parked either on the quiet, suburban street or in driveways.
"Last
summer, a lot of the neighbours got together and came
up with the idea of putting plastic bags over our mirrors
or tilting them inside so the woodpecker did not smash
them,� said Gary Goy who, along with his wife Mary Lou,
have lived on the tree-lined crescent since 1983.
"Our
next door neighbour's son is an ornithologist and professor
at Queen's University, he believes it's a female woodpecker
that is confused by the reflection and considers it a
threat so it attempts to establish territorial supremacy
by pecking at it, with the result being a smashed mirror.�
The
Goys are familiar with wildlife because of their back
yard surroundings, which is filled with mature tree and
dense forest. They regularly hear woodpeckers doing their
thing in the distance, pecking at trees looking for ants
or bugs to fill their bellies.
The
established neighborhood had thought they had seen the
last of the one-bird wrecking crew but sure enough, as
soon as springtime rolled around and the warmer temperatures
hit, their flying nemesis was back again.
"Last
summer was a continual battle on our street, trying to
outsmart the thing, it broke five mirrors,� Goy admitted.
"My wife and I regularly see woodpeckers around our place.
One time we saw a pair standing on our picnic table, another
chance meeting had a bird perched on our mirror in the
driveway. I tried to persuade it to fly away but the thing
was about two feet tall and was not intimidated by me
at all.�
With
the summer season underway, the residents of Beechmont
Crescent take heed, the woodpecker is back, be sure to
use the correct preventive measures to protect your vehicles.
(This story
was made possible thanks to the generous support of our
local business partners.)
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