Seven images entitled:
"BUILDING A HOME FOR THE LADY." Posting 3 of 8 in this series of postings on the Pileated Woodpecker family. GO To http://www.pbase.com/hankvv/image/149565565
for the start of the series (1 of 8).

Top image: Hubby arrives on site ready to start the day and hopefully finish construction. Note the large size of the nest cavity already.


Hubby labours away ceaselessly for what seems like hours, chipping, chiseling and spitting out wood shavings. Periodically, he throws out beaks full of freshly chiseled shavings. The ground below is covered with wood chips.


Another beak full thrown out and carried away by the wind.


At one point, hubby calls out, it seems to get his lady to come for a final inspection. She arrives promptly and peeks in to the cavity with hubby still inside.


Then a little beak-to-beak kiss and .........


.........hubby flies out to make room for the inspector.


After a brief inspection of the interior, the female flew out again, calling hubby as she went. Hubby, dutifully went back to work immediately. Apparently the construction was not yet to the lady's liking.