This male downy woodpecker was elusive for a while for BDN Contributor Allie Ladd.
He kept seeing the holes increasing on the tree and wondered what bird was making them for a couple of weeks before his trail camera caught the culprit.
The downy is Maine’s smallest woodpecker species. The male has a tuft of red feathers on the back of its head, as you can see in this video.
It’s also turkey mating season and that means you may see those birds around in larger numbers.
It’s not uncommon to see large groups of hens with one or more toms strutting around among them in their full plumage trying to attract mates. A mature tom can mate with a dozen hens, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
You may also see a few jakes and jennies, the immature male and female turkeys, around as well. Baby turkeys are called poults, and stay with their moms until they reach the jake or jenny stage.
Turkeys primarily walk or run to their destinations, stopping to eat tasty morsels. They will run if they feel threatened, but can take flight. It is impressive to see even a small flock of turkeys in flight.
When it is not mating season, the mature male turkeys tend to be loners and jakes will be in small groups. Hens with poults will join other hens with poults to form flocks. Turkeys form bands to winter and can be territorial, according to the MDIF&W.
Turkeys are Maine’s largest game birds and may be hunted in separate spring and fall seasons. The spring hunt only allows toms to be harvested. The fall hunt allows hens and toms.
The number of turkeys allowed depends on what state wildlife management district you are hunting. Some districts allow only one while others up to five birds in the fall season.
The spring turkey season opens to youths only on April 27, and to adults on April 29. The season ends June 1.
The fall season opens with youths only on Sept. 14 and everyone on Sept. 16. The season ends on Nov. 7.
