Acorn Woodpecker Caught Hoarding In San Juan Capistrano

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — What could be better than hoarding acorns on a brisk San Juan Capistrano morning? If you asked this trio of acorn woodpeckers, they would probably say "nothing." Resident photographer Kristine Erickson captured this group of acorn woodpeckers At Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park earlier this week.

The acorn woodpecker at the forefront of the image shot by Erickson is a female, as female acorn woodpeckers have bright red marks on the backs of their heads, while male acorn woodpeckers have a whole cap of red.

Why are they hoarding acorns? For this particular species of woodpecker, foraging and hiding acorns in self-made holes isn't a seasonal kind of job. Acorn woodpeckers hoard acorns all year around, according to AllAboutBirds.org. They travel in groups and "peck" their holes into tree trunks, wooden telephone poles and fence posts, which they then load with acorns.

By the look of all those acorns stuffed in that tree, we'd say her and her friends are doing a great job securing the San Juan Capistrano acorn supply.

Erickson regularly frequents San Juan Creek, and told Patch that she often forgets that she is exercising whenever she visits. While at San Juan Creek earlier this week, Erickson snapped a shot of this Cooper's hawk preparing for takeoff.

Cooper's hawks are crow-sized birds of prey, though males are much smaller. They're found across North America in wooded habitats and typically feed on smaller birds by picking them up with their sharp talons and squeezing until their prey is dead, according to AllAboutBirds.org.

Aside from those grisly details, Cooper's hawks are superb fliers. Judging by the focus in the photographed hawk's eyes, this reporter wouldn't be surprised if he was just about to launch off to find some lunch.

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