Tidy Perfection

"A majestic female Pileated Woodpecker visited our yard today. I had never seen her this close to the house before. Her plumage, a striking combination of black and white, was crowned with a vivid red crest that seemed to glow. She landed on an oak stump, a tree we had taken down many years ago, and I watched as she began to peck, her powerful beak striking the bark with a rhythmic intensity. Yet, there was something desperate in her actions, an urgency that spoke of hunger. The practice to eradicate insects had left her struggling to find the beetles and grubs she depended on. Once alive with buzzing and chirping, the yard had fallen silent, a victim of our need for tidy perfection." – RDA