Is woodpecker’s nest excavation harming a Pleasanton apple tree?

DEAR JOAN: We have a woodpecker family that has made a home in our apple tree. I could not have drilled a more perfect circle than the woodpecker did. There was “sawdust” everywhere around the base of the tree. There is room in the nest for both of the birds without them being visible.

The apple tree trunk is only about 12 inches in diameter, and I wonder if this nest will weaken the tree. The hole is only about 3 feet off ground level, which doesn’t seem very high up. It looks susceptible to cats and squirrels.

We are hoping to see some little redheads soon.

Tom Reif, Pleasanton

DEAR TOM: Congratulations on the red-headed strangers that have moved into your yard. I think they are Nuttall’s woodpeckers.

The good news is the hole that was excavated in your apple tree isn’t likely to harm the tree. The bad news is the tree might already be in trouble. Woodpeckers prefer dead or dying trees for nesting because the wood is much softer than that of a healthy tree, and also enhances the sound of the drumming, which is one way the male woodpecker announces this is his territory.

That doesn’t mean your tree is dying, but when you can do so without disturbing the birds, give it a good look to judge its health.

The Nuttall’s woodpecker excavates a hole that is about 2 inches wide, but the nest itself goes down about 11 inches, so even though the nest is close to ground, the eggs and chicks — knock wood — will be out of reach to any furry arms that might come grasping for them.

DEAR JOAN: I do not wear fake eyelashes, but they seem to be very popular these days (and getting longer and thicker).

I recently found out that in order to get the mink fur for these eyelashes, the mink are confined to small cages, which restrict their movements. In response to this confinement, the animals circle the cage endlessly until their fur comes off onto the wire walls of the cage, resulting in open wounds and eventual death.

Could you ask your readers to research how mink eyelashes are made, urge wearers of false eyelashes to only use artificial lashes and save defenseless creatures from a life of incredible stress, pain and death?

Chris Schmidt, Pleasant Hill

DEAR CHRIS: I don’t think many people know where those fake eyelashes come from or how much suffering is behind the product.

The cruelty to these animals goes beyond just keeping them in small cages. The animals are part of the fur industry, and they are eventually killed and skinned for the fashion trade and cosmetic industry.