American Three-toed Woodpecker

I took the day, yesterday, to drive to Ottawa, then across the river into Gatineau, Quebec on the news that a close cousin of the Black-backed Woodpecker had been seen in the wooded areas of a residential neighbourhood, that borders on a Golf Course.  I had missed this bird previously in Alaska and north of Timmins, Ontario.  Of course, I had to hope for better luck, as last week I had crossed the border into the US looking for Barnacle and Pink-footed Goose, and had come up with the preverbial Goose Egg.  This time, however, after an hour or so of searching, with the help of local birders Ken and Richard, I did find the target bird and notched my 555th bird of the year and species #633 for my ABA Life List, in just a week shy of three obsessive years of being a Birder.

 American Three-toed Woodpecker:

 Piliated Woodpecker Close by,(I also saw Downy and Hairy on the same street):

Northern Saw-whet Owl at Col. Sam Smith Park today,(#155 for the park list):

Snowy Owl #72 at Col. Sam Smith,(2nd Owl of the day):