Noisy Neighbours

[British Red]

Heard a heck of a row this morning, turned out to be a bloke investigating one of my rental properties

Greater Spotted Woodpecker on bird house by British Red, on Flickr

Sadly, I think he was using it as a music venue for drum solos rather than really thinking of moving in

 

[GGTBod]

Maybe he was trying to get the attention of a local lady to see what she thought of the possible new home, cool pic i'd swap you for my noisy neighbours anyday

 

[bilmo-p5]

He might have been doing you a favour; checking it out for infestation.

Handsome chap, ain't he?

 

[Goatboy]

Nice picture that, woodpeckers are like hens teeth 'round here, would love to see more.
Cheers for posting up.

Sent via smokesignal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[John Fenna]

I am trying to find this years nest site for the family of Greater Spotteds that I have been following for about 8 generations... no joy yet - but they tend to nest within 100yards of the birth site....
I have heard a lot of drumming in the woods but no excavation beats yet while a totally different family (or two) are audible from our house and visit our feeders.
Handsome fellows!

 

[Harvestman]

Woopdpeckers will raid nest boxes to take the chicks of things like blue tits. They should be regarded as a predator in this sense. They will hammer at the box to enlarge the hole in order to get at the chicks inside. A good neztbox has a metal plate around the entrance hole to prevent them from doing this.

 

[John Fenna]

Woopdpeckers will raid nest boxes to take the chicks of things like blue tits. They should be regarded as a predator in this sense. They will hammer at the box to enlarge the hole in order to get at the chicks inside. A good neztbox has a metal plate around the entrance hole to prevent them from doing this.

And squirrels will raid Woodpecker nests to get their young as well!
Red in tooth and claw eh?

 

[Toddy]

Great to catch a photograph
I've been trying for weeks now to catch the woodpeckers on the bird feeders. They love the hanging fat block things, but they dart off like greased lightening with any movement at all.

There's one fighting off starlings just now from the block thing on the feeder in front of the living room window. Looks like a male from the red flash on the back of the neck.

I really need to nag about having a trail camera set up for that feeder.

M

 

[British Red]

Woopdpeckers will raid nest boxes to take the chicks of things like blue tits. They should be regarded as a predator in this sense. They will hammer at the box to enlarge the hole in order to get at the chicks inside. A good neztbox has a metal plate around the entrance hole to prevent them from doing this.

This one is a Robin box, so the woodpecker can get in now. I know its empty because I took it down and cleaned it last week . I guess it just makes a good soundbox for the drum?

 

[British Red]

He's back

GSW Woodpecker by British Red, on Flickr

We had another nice sight this morning. I wonder if I was the only person in Britain to be watching a goldfinch in a medlar tree?

Goldfinch on medlar by British Red, on Flickr

Handsome fellow

Goldfinch by British Red, on Flickr

 

[MSkiba]

cracking photo!