And I used to love woodpeckers

[Skipper]

Harmless.
If he's pecking at it now, he's been pecking at it before. Others too, likely.
The crows do this in our harbor. Mostly they hide food for later, or are retrieving/stealing it.
They particularly like dry cat food.
Sometimes when I unfurl the genoa, cat food spills out on the foredeck.

 

[MisterR6]

We have red headed, red breasted and pileated woodpeckers at my house. My wife loves feeding and watching all the birds. No damage to home or boat though, thank goodness!

 

[Justin_NSA]

One story on critters storing food in odd places and then I'll return to the topic:
Several years ago I was working on my wife's Cadillac engine. In the valley underneath the fuel injection system, there was a larger nest and plenty of what looked like dog food. We did have a pair of Norwegian Elkhounds at the time. What amazed me is why any animal would build a nest on an engine? It is kept in the garage. It wasn't driven every day, but enough that you would think it would discourage them! Well, the story ends with me taking a shopvac and cleaning it all out. They haven't been back.

 

[dlochner]

At my marina we unstep our masts every fall. Woe be unto the sailor who does not jam a plastic jug in to the mast base. The local birds love to build nests in the masts. One fall there was a bird in the mast when it was stepped in the spring. As the mast came off the deck, the nest fell out and then the dead bird.

 

[LakeShark]

I put a bag over the ends of the mast while its down to stop the squirrels from getting in. One session I had to rewire my trailer lights 3 times due to the little buggers and the boat was only parked for about 2 weeks between sails!

But I guess it could always be worse:

Thus far I have not had any woodpecker issues though I suspect the Pileated ones we get around here could so some damage to a little mast like mine if they wanted to.

 

[Meriachee]

Apparently the Barn Swallows mistook the boat for a barn last year.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Its time to make a gumbo

First, you make a roux.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[dlochner]

 

[rgranger]

First, you make a roux.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Bien sure

 

[jssailem]

They haven't been back.

They have not been back because they likely fell out of the engine compartment when the car stopped at the first red light. They were homeless and food less and wandering the streets totally disoriented for days...

 

[rgranger]

I have one that sometimes pecks my house. It is brick
The noise scares the bijibbers out of me when it catches me by surprise

 

[TomY]

I saw this at our club yesterday. Not my boat but still...

That video makes me shiver,...

 

[Michael Davis]

That video makes me shiver,...

The perils of a wooden mast!

 

[sesmith]

At least it's just the woodpecker. If the vultures show up, you better look around for you neighbor boat's owner.

 

[Justin_NSA]

They have not been back because they likely fell out of the engine compartment when the car stopped at the first red light. They were homeless and food less and wandering the streets totally disoriented for days...

There's always welfare

 

[Kermit]

One story on critters storing food in odd places and then I'll return to the topic:
Several years ago I was working on my wife's Cadillac engine. In the valley underneath the fuel injection system, there was a larger nest and plenty of what looked like dog food. We did have a pair of Norwegian Elkhounds at the time. What amazed me is why any animal would build a nest on an engine? It is kept in the garage. It wasn't driven every day, but enough that you would think it would discourage them! Well, the story ends with me taking a shopvac and cleaning it all out. They haven't been back.

My guess would be Carolina Wrens. They love building nests in garages or any other sheltered area.