[TowerTalk] Woodpecker -

[NPAlex at aol.com]

Stew,
Woodpeckers are very territorial and they often mark their territory by 
finding something that makes the maximum noise when they do a hammer job on it.  
Popular objects are Gutters, and metal Chimney covers (my woodpeckers favorite 
noise maker).  Yours has discovered the antenna boom, but not to worry he won't 
cause any premature failure.  A woodpeckers brain is cushioned so it can 
stand the shock of impact from pecking on rigid objects.
 
Regards,
Norm W4QN
=====================================================
Ok guys, time for a new thread. This was a new one on
me. 

I have a bit of woods on my property and throughout
the years have seen and heard various woodpeckers
pecking away at dead trees. It very common to hear
them in the morning as I'm walking to the car to leave
for work. This morning as I was walking out the
driveway, I heard a metallic "rattle" of sorts like
I'd never heard. It was dead calm so it wasn't a wind
related issue. I looked up the tower and there was a
woodpecker sitting on the boom of the 40-2CD. As I
watched, he lowered his head and pecked the boom of
the antenna. It was quite loud but he/she wasn't fazed
in the least and continued, on and off, for several
minutes and then flew back into the woods. In all the
years that I've had towers and antennas in the air,
that was a first! Maybe the uncommomly hot
temperatures in this part of the country are to blame.
It's certainly taking it's toll of the mental
abilities of some of the people!

Maybe I need a plastic owl up there!

73, Stew K3ND





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