Description
This photograph of a Nuttall's Woodpecker was taken while I was exploring Big Morongo Canyon Preserve in California. The preserve is an oasis in the desert around Joshua Tree National Park. I could hear lots of birdsong as I walked. What caught my attention was the sound of rapid drumming that reminded me of a cat purring, only with a percussive edge instead of the warmth of a real purr. I looked around until I finally spotted the woodpecker. I was delighted that it was a new species for me. What birders call a lifer.
