Window to the past

Walking a favorite trail the other day, we came across this.

Just another fallen tree?

No. This was a special tree. Back in 2012, when our family was exploring the nature trails around us for the first time, this tree hosted one of the most delightful wonders we’ve seen.

We were in the right place at the right time one day when we saw the male bird peeking out of this hole. As the weeks passed, small beaks appeared, grew larger and hungrier, and demanded frequent feedings from their parents. We would walk the trail every week, observing, photographing, and going home to draw and read about pileated woodpeckers. We felt privileged to be able to watch the story develop. We were in on a secret.

It’s been eight years, but the finality of seeing the woodpecker tree blown over was bittersweet. It was a reminder of something we didn’t know back then: the woods mark the passing of time. They carry the memory of past inhabitants and sights, so that even if we don’t see anything along a particular trail on a given day, we remember past sightings. This was an important memory, full of the excitement of discovery and learning together.

Whatever happened to the woodpecker family? I’m not sure. But we know the tree they chose as a home that spring still bears the marks of their story. For us, it’s a window to the past.