The Lawd God Woodpecker Returns

I saw one of the resident Pileated woodpeckers yesterday. Although I hear their calls every other day I haven't seen one since last year. It was Winter and the foliage was gone and I got a clear view of him, but I got only a couple of glimpses yesterday. He was in a big tree about 250' away. I could only make out a dark silhouette and a bit of red and white, but the size was unmistakable. They're over a foot long from head to tail. They look prehistoric, and in fact they are. They were around when the dinosaurs were happening. You never know...maybe his ancestors drank some of the same water I have in my geode I mentioned.
 For a long time they thought this bird was extinct, but some time in the early or mid 20th century they were spotted again by incredulous birdwatchers. Apparently they came back from the brink of extinction. I'm glad they did. They're very impressive. Their call even sounds prehistoric. It's a loud, repeated sort of cackle, and I can imagine that it's similar to what a Pterodactyl's cry might have sounded like. When they start pecking into a tree it sounds like a million baseball bats hitting the tree in rapid-fire succession. It's enough to give you a headache.
 One famous nickname in these parts anyway, and actually spelled out in books, is the Lawd God Woodpecker, and understandably so. You'll definitely feel like saying that (at least) if you're ever lucky enough to see one. It's cool to see something that's unchanged (and still around) since the dinosaurs.