Pecking Wood
The Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major, is a wonderful bird. This is a female coming in search of food at the WWF reserve Lago di Alviano:
The signs here have a picture of the male on them. How do I know? Just look at that patch of red on his head:
I’ve managed to get this close to Great Spotted Woodpeckers before in the UK. Here they are with my photographs and the Ladybird Book of British Birds and their Nests in my previous post:
The Second Ladybird Book of British Birds #12 – The Great Spotted Woodpecker
I love the huge and powerful feet, the long neck and that stiff tail. A magnificent bird to watch in action:
Being this close to nature is a privilege.
More Great Spotted Woodpeckers
The chick appears Back in Somerset I'm delighted that the Great Spotted Woodpeckers have successfully raised a chick so it is large enough to appear at the entrance to the nest. Here's the female approaching the nesting hole: There's an intense chirping as it does so. There's a hungry mouth to feed: Do… read more
Woodpecker work The female Great Spotted Woodpecker seems to be in their nest hole a great deal. When she ventures out I can appreciate she's such a beautiful bird and in fabulous condition. I wish them every success in breeding this year. read more
The changing of the guard The Woodpecker pair I've been enjoying watching have a routine. I need to watch them for many more hours before I can be confident in explaining it, but one calls from a tree, the other looks out of the nest, leaves, and then the calling bird takes its place. Here's… read more
Woodpeckers at dawn I'm not that keen on getting up early unless I have a purpose. I need to be driven by a need other than simply getting up early. I don't need any encouragement to stay up late. This is one of those early days. I got up hours before my alarm… read more
Bluebells and Woodpeckers For some reason I never did post this photograph in May last year. That's odd, because it's one of my favourites. A Great Spotted Woodpecker in a private woodland in Somerset, surrounded by Bluebells. It's a wonderful place. read more
Knocking on the door Great Spotted Woodpeckers are knocking on the door at this time of year. You can hear them drumming in the last remnants of woodland we have, where the large and old trees haven't been felled as a condition of the insurance needed for public access. I wouldn't wish being killed… read more
That elusive flight shot We discovered a Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major, nest recently. It wasn't the obvious hole in the side of the tree which did it, it was the insistent noise from the chicks which made it blindingly obvious. Here's the male bringing in food to the nest. It's an opportunity to… read more
Great and spotted We've been spotted. There's a Great Spotted Woodpecker living its adventurous life nearby. Great Spotted Woodpeckers are large woodpeckers to us. They're actually only medium sized woodpeckers, it's just we don't have any of the large ones in the UK. Great Spotted Woodpeckers are closely related to Syrian Woodpeckers. They… read more
The Second Ladybird Book of British Birds #12 – The Great Spotted Woodpecker This handsome bird lives on the edges of woods, in orchards and large gardens. That's what The Second Ladybird Book of British Birds and their nests says: Here I am on the edge of a wood and there's a Great Spotted Woodpecker staring at me: This one is a female,… read more