Day 262: At first, I thought Red-Breasted Sapsucker would move along nicely after having a go at the red dogwood, but not only did he persist, he brought a friend. After two days, the dogwood was nearly ring-barked about three feet from ground level, holes drilled every half inch, and great bare areas weeping sap all down the trunk. The two birds were still diligently pecking away. When I discovered them going after the mountain ash when I got home from work today, it was plain that I needed to intervene. I got a couple of pieces of chicken wire out of the garage and made several loose wraps around the injured areas of both trees so the Sapsuckers could land and drink their fill until the tree stops bleeding, but they are prevented from doing any more active drilling.
Sphyrapicus ruber is trying to do me a favour by removing bugs from beneath the bark of my ornamentals, but he is a bit too enthusiastic, necessitating preventative measures. He has a whole forest populated with sweet-sapped vine maple, chokecherry, alder and big-leaf maple to satisfy his appetite, and within ten seconds' flight of my yard. He doesn't seem to be aware that I am trying to cultivate habitat for my diverse avian friends by planting trees which bear bird-tasty fruit in autumn, but I'm sure he'll thank me some day, even if I have locked him out of the pantry for now.
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