Woody the Woodpecker Cache Traditional Cache
Woody the Woodpecker Cache
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This is a straight forward cache. In the end you will hopefully find a camoed small “Pelican” style water-proof box, with assorted swag, cache is available for TB and coin exchange.
The forest is full of birds. These bottoms hold a plethora of bird life through out the year, especially during spring and fall migration. Summer and winter have it’s extremes but there are still year round residents about the bottoms, many which are rarely seen but occasionally heard.
Of the 25 different species of Woodpeckers in North America, seven are readily found in Shelby County, and all seven have been documented in the Collierville bottoms of the Wolf River. All are known to create cavities in trees to raise young. They can be seen on the side of trees probing and digging for insect larvae.
The most common is the Red-bellied Woodpecker, sometimes mistaken for a Red-headed Woodpecker due to its “Mohawk style” red head. You need to look real close to see the red belly.
The Red-headed Woodpecker is distinguished by its completely Red head. Juveniles will have a black head.
The Downy Woodpecker is the smallest of the woodpeckers here, and can be seen scurrying up trees from about 10ft up and into the canopy looking for a meal hiding under the bark.
The Hairy Woodpecker is a close relative to the Downy; in fact there isn’t much difference between the two. Hairies have a bit longer beak as wide as its head, where as the Downy is only about half the size.
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a transient here in the mid-south. They spend the fall & winter here before heading north to nest. They can be seen drilling holes (wells) into trees that encircle the trunk to drain the sap just like we do to gain maple syrup.
The Northern Flicker is a large bird more likely to be seen on the ground looking for ant and termite nests. It is a brownish-gray w/ black spots colored bird unlike the others which are some form of black and white.
The largest (with a wing span of 29”) of the woodpeckers in North America is the Pileated Woodpecker, the true “Woody the Woodpecker”. At rest on a tree the body is nearly all black. Both the male and female have a red crest with the males also having red in the lower cheek area. Females red crown is less. Call is a frantic wuk!, wuk!, wuk!, wuk!, wuk!,…… while in flight.
At times the approach(s) can be dry, wet, or very wet depending on recent weather. Snakes don’t bother me but be aware during the “season”. Rat Snakes, Black Racers, Yellow-bellied Water Snakes, Copperheads and Water Moccasin’s(Cottonmouth) all inhabit and have been readily seen/photographed in these bottoms. Don’t bother them they won’t bother you. (Just don’t step on one). Thorns and old barbed wire fences are scattered where you least expect.
If you have the urge to cross the river while in the forest, let me say this. DON’T, think about where you are and where the cache is supposed to be.
This, like five other caches contains one of six required clues that you will need to find
“ Jaybirder’s Roost” Cache (GC209W3). Good Luck.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
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