Woodpeckers

[AVB]

A few months ago we had a problem with a woodpecker drumming on our chimney cowl. Apparently they do it to attract a mate. Well it worked as he is now back with I assume his partner and a youngster who they are feeding. 
 

 

[martinj]

A lot of people would love to have a problem like that, I love happy endings

[figgy]

Very nice.

[discobob]

fantastic!!!

So your chimney cowl is a woodpecker's equivalent to viagra - is it blue by any chance

 

[Ultrastu]

Ive heard them drumming on metal pylons 

Same reason i guess 

[JohnfromUK]

I get the (greater) spotted on my bird feeder (likes both peanuts and suet) and the green (less often seen here) on the lawn where (I think) they are after ants.  There are quite a few greater spotted about at the moment some juveniles - and I believe that they are vulnerable after cold winters, but last year was a mild winter - so that may have helped.

[powler]

We used to have a green one come onto some waste ground near my works, nice to see in an industrial area. Quiet a few lesser spotted on my perms in Gwent which I would like to see again 😕

Mick

[old'un]

If you have any nest boxes for other birds make sure they have a metal plate covering the entrance hole, woodpecker will take the eggs and chicks of other birds.

[Benthejockey]

I found a wood pecker nest a few weeks back god they were noisy little *******. 

[The Heron]

Great picture we have a lot of them around here that's why the wife has to wear a hard hat all the time 😂😂

[Scully]

We get either the Greater Spotted or Lesser Spotted around here, can’t recall which, but not both apparently. 
The closest I’ve ever got to one was when we rushed into our pen after hearing a heck of a squawk up going on. We discovered a Sparrowhawk which flew off, but had been making a meal of a woodpecker, which was already dead when we got there. 

[bruno22rf]

Now that's made me smile - thank you so much for posting.

[WalkedUp]

Funny coincidence, who should pop onto my bird feeder whilst I was relaxing reading this...

Oh a jay is on there now. Action stations. 

[oldypigeonpopper]

Heard my first cuckoo thursday👍

Edited June 5, 2020 by oldypigeonpopper

[manthing]

We get them returning to the feeders, the good lady likes to think it's the same adult bringing a fresh one each year. Could be but I go along and agree that it's nice to see Woody and his new son. 😏

[Sha Bu Le]

We had 2 which used to visit us regularly  until the council in their stupidity and without warning cut down the elder trees the woodpeckers used to chip away at. Over the course of a year we had roughly 20 small bird species visit our garden. The elder trees were an ideal refuge from the patrolling spars not any more thanks to council muppets.

[Stonepark]

Found outside bay window after dinner this evening.... Hopefully rest of chicks are doing ok

 

 

[WalkedUp]

That’s sad news. Flown into the window?

[Stonepark]

Looks like, of all the 40 off starlings, 30 sparrows, dozen various tits and finches, first death this year had to be woodpecker, wife was enjoying watching it and not a happy bunny.

 

Window has about a dozen anti-collision stickers but I suspect sparrowhawk was about again and panicked it.

[WalkedUp]

I built a lovely house for a client a few years ago, four storey ultra contemporary. Stayed in touch with the client. Her only gripe is the number of birds that get killed flying into it 😔

[norfolk dumpling]

On 4 June 2020 at 10:17, old'un said:

If you have any nest boxes for other birds make sure they have a metal plate covering the entrance hole, woodpecker will take the eggs and chicks of other birds.

And..... A few years ago we were awoken by a spotty removing a large section of the barge board in our 17th century cottage. The sound, when you are fast asleep, is a bit like a road drill attacking your house. This evil deed was to get at baby blue tits! He or his mates, removed all the house martin nests from my neighbours house AND then they started removing thatch from another neighbours property.

There is a point where tolerance levels are exceeded!!

[JohnfromUK]

1 minute ago, norfolk dumpling said:

There is a point where tolerance levels are exceeded!!

But you can be a bit more tolerant when they take ants from the lawn in compensation!

 

[norfolk dumpling]

Yep although my lawn too is being ruined by pheasants digging up the hundreds of nuts squirrels have buried last autumn/winter! Watched one little sod try to bury a bramley apple after he had hidden a few nuts! He disappeared before the airgun was ready. Isn't nature wonderful!? AND just to make our lives more 'interesting' this little fellow pruned our pear trees last year....

[JohnfromUK]

2 minutes ago, norfolk dumpling said:

Yep although my lawn too is being ruined by pheasants digging up the hundreds of nuts squirrels have buried last autumn/winter!

Interesting.  A cock pheasant comes almost every day, but doesn't dig in the lawn.  The squirrels mainly bury mainly acorns (from holm oaks) and sycamore seeds.  I also have a lot of beech nuts, which are loved by the pigeons in the autumn.  With rare exceptions with the air rifle, I don't shoot in the garden.  I have rarely had muntjac through, but have occasionally seem them.

[norfolk dumpling]

I've walnut, chestnut and 4 decent sized hazel bushes and I live between two woods and a water meadow so wildlife opportunities are endless. I've watched pheasants and they concentrate on buried hazel nuts. Just noticed this morning something has taken a fancy to water lily leaves. Only ones close to side which a quick google suggests Mutjac! Don't you love nature.