Rare Bird: Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Seen on our long-leaf pine tree trunk searching for insects in the bark. I immediately noticed his large white cheek patch and barred back setting him apart from our downy woodpeckers. It was present for about five minutes and was on the trunks of three of our pines. RCW’s are not rare in the Sandhills of NC where I live. Uncommon, but not rare. We have several tagged trees in our neighborhood indicating RCW trees…..and have seen them raise babies in those tree cavities.