House-Sharing

[Martin Hash]

Over the years, we’ve had a lot of problems with woodpeckers pecking holes into our house. We’ve repaired the carnage a number of times, including covering the most affected areas with tin. That didn’t stop the woodpeckers from trying so even though it kept them from doing any more damage, it was very loud, especially on the tall, metal duct lined fireplace chimneys; the whole house reverberates when they’re at it but we’ve got used to it. Unfortunately, this indulgence has led the woodpeckers to assume we’re inviting them to visit longer.

My wife, Gwynne, really doesn’t like the woodpeckers; she likes to sleep in mornings when they’re the most active. This winter, one woodpecker re-pecked her way through an old repair outside the bedroom window closet to her, and it won’t stay away no matter how much she pounds on the window from the inside. She’ll hear it ticking in the early morning sunlight, jump out of bed naked and pound so hard I hope she doesn’t break the glass. The bird used to fly off immediately but it always came back after a while; now it doesn’t seem to care. Gwynne started running outside to shoo it off but the ticking would continue a short time later, and she finally gave up. Occasionally I see the female woodpecker’s partner perched nearby, though he doesn’t peck. The other morning, I heard some soft cheeping from outside Gwynne’s window. Now we’re resigned to house-share with the whole family.

Woodpecker in Hole c.jpg