I was on my morning walkabout at Alumni Field Park in Hackettstown. As I was walking along the river trail I heard the low thump- thump- thump- over the water. I walked to the rivers edge and looked up stream to see a male pileated woodpecker working a dead tree. From my vantage it was difficult to get a clear view of him. Sometimes the essence of the experience is the real story. I did manage to get some glimpses of him through the trees.