Yep Pileated woodpecker the culprit.

Pap

I agree. They love the dead trees around my house.

We got 'em around here.

We call 'em "Milermor" birds.

When I was a kid, I asked my Dad why they called those peckerwood birds: "Milermor" birds.

He replied back matter of factly: "'Cause you can hear them birds for a mile 'er more!

That's good Coach, never heard that one before, but big woodpeckers can really make the chips fly.

Pap

Hey Rod,

That looks like my former apple tree. We had a woodpecker last spring literally destroy my apple tree. That tree made great apple sauce, and my Nova Scotia Duck Toller misses all those apples that she enjoyed eating.

Alan

I have not seen a Pileated during our recent country side walks. But as you can see they are around.
Where we lived at our previous house ( across town) a Pileated would “attack” a stump in our neighbours yard. I could not get over the size of the bird, huge!

This woodpecker is pretty shy. But in the spring and sometimes during the summer we have them come to feed on suet at our birdfeeder. We assume they use the suet to feed the young. Less work than digging grubs out of dead trees, I guess.

Larry

We live in a log home and not friends with woodpeckers or flickers. I chase them off. Lord forbid if a Piliated woodpecker ever started on my house.

Pap

Nice Idaho spring morning, looking out towards Garden Mountain, still has some snow up top.

Pap

Elk resting in the back yard tonight.

Pap