We put a bird feeder right outside our sitting room window. I suppose watching the birds is a form of mediation for me. This has been a tough winter. Lots of snow. Lots of cold. I enjoy offering food to our winter residents–chickadees, nuthatches, titmouse, downy woodpeckers, and the occasional blue jays and cardinals. In addition to the birds, we get squirrels and rabbits visiting the feeders. With the snow so deep, the turkey and deer have not visited.
The other day, as I was reading in the sitting room, a pileated woodpecker came to the feeder. I have heard them drumming in the forest around the house. This is the first time I have seen one here. He was too big to fit on our feeder, but the messiness of the bluejays means there is plenty of seed spread around the feeder. He did not seem to see me on the other side of the window. They are rather shy.
What can it mean that a pileated woodpecker showed up at my feeder right outside my window? We have a feeder bordering the woods. Logical me thinks the hard winter makes it hard for wildlife to find food so some easy-to-get seed is welcome. Location by the house offered some protection from the wind. My more mystical/supernatural side looked up what it could mean seeing a pileated woodpecker: trust your instincts and forge your own path; be prepared for significant life shifts and the need to clear out old patterns; and a reminder that you have the inner strength and foundation to create the life you desire.
I think both the logical and supernatural can be true at the same time. I’m not one for either/or thinking. I am fascinated in the place where they intersect. And I experienced an intersection right outside my window. Will I see a pileated woodpecker again any time soon? Who knows? But the sighting gave me pause to think and wonder.
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