Coombsville granaries.

The recent rains in Napa were accompanied by high winds strong enough to bring down lots of twigs, small branches, various lichens, oak apples and the remainder of last year's leaves.  The wind also brought down this rather large tree limb that had been converted into a fly-in larder - no doubt the handiwork of numerous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorous).  I had photographed such a tree as this before, but the fortuitous delivery of this particular branch onto my driveway meant that I could get up close and personal with a piece of avian artfulness.
Generations of woodpeckers will use the same tree, which is called a granary tree, year after year.  Acorns are such an important source of food for the woodpeckers that they will often nest and breed in the autumn to take advantage of autumn's crop of acorns. Western Scrub Jays and squirrels may also visit the granary trees to take acorns, but the woodpeckers are generally very aggressive, and very vociferous, in the defense of their particular tree.
Woodpeckers can be a bit of a nuisance to homeowners as they'll also peck holes in the wooden bits on ones house.  In Vinoland, the local woodpecker population seem to be quite smitten with the fascia right above my bedroom window, which is a bit of a problem as they get up and about a lot earlier in the morning than me.  I do wish they'd stick to storing their victuals in the furthest oak trees from the house.  Tap, tap.  Tap, tap.

Gathering nuts.

Some enterprising Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) has been busy squirrelling away nuts for the coming winter months in a tree up the road from Vinoland. I wish he'd gather more acorns for his larder from Vinoland as the walking-on-ball-bearing trick I have adopted to get to my car is an ankle-accident waiting to happen.
Every 3 or 4 years we seem to get a bumper crop of acorns, 2009 is one of those years. The recent rain aided and abetted in the dumping of a massive amount of acorns onto the driveway. Of course, they drop at any old time but primarily when I am making a trip out to the dustbin...ouch!
Vinomaker is also busy stockpiling for winter, however his stash, ahem, is in liquid form! He has so many fermentations going on right now that the Vinodogs and I may have to move into a hotel, temporarily, to make way for all the fermentation bins.