Pileated Woodpeckers, Rainy Day At Tippling rock

     There was light rain for almost a week, and I went to Nobscot Scout Reservation. Rain adds a nice effect to images, especially landscape photos. I got in there and hiked until I ended up near the vernal pool, away from Nobscot Rd. I've seen pileated woodpeckers on multiple occasions at the Reservation, but every time, I've either missed my opportunity, only had my phone camera, or been too far away to photograph it. As I got close to the pond, one took off from the brush and flew to some taller tree trunks, down the hill. A second later, it's mate followed it off into the tall oaks. I know they are a mated pair because pileated woodpeckers don't flock, and their chicks are definately independent from their parents by now, and have left their territory. Both birds were constantly flying from one one tree to another, as I followed them. Whenever I got a good view on one of them, it would spook and fly 30 feet to resume feeding on a different tree. Finally, the female stopped on a snag, and didn't seem to notice that I had snuck over to her, So I had an opportunity to get some shots...

After about 10 minutes, the female left the tree, and flew off to join the male. I continued on with my walk. Lobscot Pond was completely dried up. Everything was green, except for a twisted up red maple that gave the vernal pool a pop of red...

Under a few of the pond's logs, were eastern newts, some of which were in their eft stage...

                                  And I found one of them out in the open, enjoying the rain.

and then I headed down the trail, to another vernal pool. I checked out the burnt area. A fire in 2016 killed all the pines in a single area, but not their cones, so now there is a dense green layer of 6 year old white pines. The standing pines create habitat for woodpeckers, and one cavity is being used as a hive by some honey bees. Because of the rain, the bees were not out, and the woodpeckers were still back by the other vernal pool. It was pretty quiet.

Not far from the burnt area, near the second and most circular vernal pool, I heard the call of a pileated woodpecker. It was backlit and very dark so it was hard to tell whether it was female or male. It perched on the top of a snag for a long time, without trying to feed. I kept calling, and didnt mind me at all.

I found a lot of different fungi in the area of the second vernal pool...

                             Common Bonnet                                          Rotten Chicken Of The Woods

                                Witch's Butter                                                     Piggyback Shanklet?

                                                          I hiked up the stairs to tippling rock...

On a clear day, I can actually see Boston from up there (22 miles away) but today, through the rain, I can barely see out of Sudbury.

The timing was perfect, because as I got into my car, it started pouring to the point where I had trouble seeing the road with my wipers at max. speed.