Quick Draw

I rounded the corner of the Willow Pond Trail at the Alligator Lake Park Recreation area.  This Columbia County owned park is made up of a large series of old dredged dikes the Hill family farmers created years ago. They even had the audacity in the old days to run a dike through the main body of water of Alligator Lake, creating fertile fields for crops. Amazing in that it was even allowed. But, today the dikes serve as good hiking trails through the scenic stands of cypress, oak and pine.
One rule of thumb as in hunting, one has to always have the gun loaded, finger on trigger, stopping often to observe and wait. I heard a pileated woodpecker working in a tree deeper off the trail, so I stopped and listened, trying to find him. I took a few shots into the dark shadows to check my exposure. Then, before I even had time to focus, he flew directly at me and lit on a tree about ten yards in front of me. He did not see me. As he peeked around the tree, spotting me, I was only quick enough to get a quick shot of his tail feathers as he flew off, never to be seen again.
I was amused at my shot, while at the same time lamenting I did not capture the peek around the tree at me.