Three tall pecan trees where Wilson drums his daily beat and Scott the squirrel performs his greatest stunts.
The rhythm section of Tootie's Backyard — where woodpeckers drill, squirrels leap, and the whole tree shakes with life.
A Downy Woodpecker who has claimed the center pecan tree. His drumming schedule is so reliable, Grandma uses it to tell time!
ResidentA Gray Squirrel who treats the three pecan trees like his personal obstacle course. His aerial jumps look impossible — but he never misses.
ResidentTiny beetles under the pecan bark are Wilson's whole reason for being here. His favorite food, drilled out one tap at a time.
ResidentAn Eastern Screech Owl uses the hollow in the oldest pecan tree on cold nights.
Rare VisitorA small flock visits the pecan branches to glean insects, hanging upside-down like tiny acrobats.
Frequent VisitorThe tallest things in the backyard. Each tree is a whole neighborhood — insects in the bark, birds in the canopy, squirrels everywhere.
Bracket mushrooms on the oldest pecan, helping recycle dead wood into soil nutrients.
A vine that has climbed the fence near the pecans. Birds love the small fruits in late summer.
Every year a few of Scott's buried pecans sprout in unexpected places. Scott is accidentally a tree planter!
Pull up a chair, sugar. Let me tell you about this place.
You can set a clock by Wilson. Seven-fifteen every morning, that first drumroll starts — rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat — echoing off the old fence boards. Tootie used to bark at it something fierce when she was young. Now she just perks one ear and goes back to her morning sniff.
The thing most children don't know is that Wilson is a doctor. Every hole he drills, he's pulling out bark beetles that would otherwise hurt the tree. That's what we call a good deal for everybody.
That woodpecker isn't making noise, sugar. He's making medicine. Every tap is one less beetle, and one more healthy tree.
Count Wilson's drumming patterns. Does he tap fast or slow? Is there a pattern?
Start Activity →Watch where Scott buries pecans and mark each spot on a hand-drawn map. Come back in spring!
Start Activity →Examine the pecan bark at eye level. How many different sizes of holes can you find?
Start Activity →The backyard is full of neighbors waiting to meet you. Where will your Owl Eyes take you next?