Red Cockaded Woodpeckers, At Last

I took a time off yesterday and made a "Wildlife Intercept Research" drive to Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve near Fort Bragg. I've been there a few times in recent years but had always been unsuccessful locating its star attraction: endangered Red Cockaded Woodpeckers. Yesterday I hit the jackpot, locating a family group and getting to enjoy their foraging activity for most of an hour. I obtained photos and videos of the encounter although the nearest a bird would allow me to get was about thirty feet---20 of that up a long leaf pine! I also located an active breeding tree that this family group may be using this summer. It is unfortunate that the Red Cockadeds have very specific breeding requirements that are working against them over time. But good people at Weymouth Woods and Fort Bragg are doing their utmost to protect and build habitat that may keep these fascinating birds in business. I'm privileged to have finally seen them.