Keeping things dignified with a pileated woodpecker

 

A male pileated woodpecker looks up from his work seeking insects in a stump.

Certain politicians can't refrain these days from the devious practice of giving those who oppose them nasty or supposedly humorous nicknames. It weakens their opponents and makes those who deliver the derogatory blows seem tough or powerful when they're not.

It isn't in good faith. But with the pileated woodpecker above I almost couldn't stop nicknaming him.

You see, for a couple of years now he and his mate have been frequenting an open field I know of and have been pounding away at a couple of rotted tree stumps in search of insects. It usually happens in spring when their nestlings are as hungry as teenage boys and need all the delicious worms and other insects they can find.

So today as I was photographing him I came up with the name "Stumpy."

It just popped into my head, I don't know why. I mean, I don't know why it popped into my head. I guess I called him Stumpy because he's been feeding for years off of the insects in these stumps.

I didn't mean any harm by it. I didn't mean to establish myself as the superior creature. I am not superior to a pileated woodpecker physically or mentally or emotionally. I am not competing with him for a job in Washington.

Still, I felt I had insulted his dignity by calling him Stumpy.

I vow not to do it again.

I think that's the fair policy. Just because he has to live off of insects from a stump he shouldn't be called Stumpy. He's just trying to make an honest living.

He should be called by his name, Mr. Pileated Woodpecker.

Anything less would be an insult.

Now if we could only get the loudmouths who thrive on political insults to others to show such compassion.

Mr. Pileated Woodpecker looing for an honest meal.