Crunchers are bird lovers. I'm not alone!
I just about had a heart attack when I saw these. I've only ever seen one other one and it was flying too fast to get a good look. The photo is fuzzy because of the window screen.

edit: corrected URL

piroque, what state do you live in?

Great photos !

Pirogue, woodpeckers are one of my favourites. This species in your photo appear be the Pileated woodpecker ( Dryocopus pileatus)

see at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pileated_Woodpecker

I guess that is a near cousin of a similar one that we whatch sometimes here (which occur in all Latin America including Mexico, maybe USA too...) called Lineated woodpecker ( Drycopus lineatus ). Take a look at:

http://www.wikiaves.com.br/doku.php?lang=en&id=pica-pau-de-banda-branca

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lineated_Woodpecker

Brink: We're southwest of Asheville. We've been here around 7 months.
Another first for this year was a yellow-rumped warbler. I'm told by the local bird shop folks that those are kind of rare around here.
We're also hoping to get some bluebirds nesting in the box in the backyard. There's been a pair around checking it out, but the chickadees seem to be more interested.

GIBA: Yes, those are pileated woodpeckers. I hadn't ever seen a lineated woodpecker. They do look to be close cousins. Thanks for the the link. I'm still waiting for a red-cockaded woodpecker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, and/or a red-headed woodpecker to show up. I've seen all of the other NC woodpeckers in the backyard.
There is a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers that come to a suet nugget feeder, close to the window, every morning around 8:30-9:00 and then a couple of times during the day. It's about 3 feet from my desk. I'm hoping they're nesting nearby and they'll be bringing their juveniles around.

Don't blame me! Brink was the one who originally posted it. Send him the Karma.
Last Sat. I stayed up until 01:00 watching an Owl strip a rabbit and feed it to the chicks. I need professional help.