Our local woodpeckers must be following this thread. One arrived on the bird feeder for the first time in several weeks. Could it be a new arrival?
Great Spotted Woodpecker
- Thread starter John Fenna
- Start date
Actually I was wondering if this was a bird taking over a vacant territory. This was a female but we usually saw a male. New pairing?
I was up the woods again this morning at 7.30 AM - 12 hours after seeing the chick - still there, plaintively calling and all on his own in the nest. Momma came and gave him a feed, so he is not completely alone....
I will check on him later in the day
We have lots of Woodpeckers around here and here them in the woods opposite our house (that I do not have access to ) and this is where our visitors to the feeders come from. The nest I watch is about a third to a half mile away so I doubt that the chicks now visiting the feeders are the ones I saw in the nest.
Another nest I watch - less often as it is further away and not on such a nice walk - flew about 4 days ago about 12 hours after I saw the chicks being "encouraged" out of the nest by the parent bird.
I will check on him later in the day
We have lots of Woodpeckers around here and here them in the woods opposite our house (that I do not have access to
) and this is where our visitors to the feeders come from. The nest I watch is about a third to a half mile away so I doubt that the chicks now visiting the feeders are the ones I saw in the nest.Another nest I watch - less often as it is further away and not on such a nice walk
- flew about 4 days ago about 12 hours after I saw the chicks being "encouraged" out of the nest by the parent bird.
There's a GSW nest in a standing dead ash near my camp in the wood. The chicks were making so much noise yesterday I had to walk to a different part of the wood to eat my meal They are clearly not afraid of being predated; you could hear them from over 100m away! When the parent arrived to feed them she didn't like me standing at the bottom of the tree and started making a kind of 'clicking' noise I'd never heard before - and that was with a beak full of grubs.
They are clearly not afraid of being predated; you could hear them from over 100m away! When the parent arrived to feed them she didn't like me standing at the bottom of the tree and started making a kind of 'clicking' noise I'd never heard before - and that was with a beak full of grubs.
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I'm really enjoying this thread. It's lovely to read these stories of nature unfolding. For better or worse.
I've had little clouds of sparrows landing in my garden this morning. They're usually bustling around the hedges at the front of the house. I noticed some chicks in the group today as well. Almost fully fledged but still being fed by parents.
They're pecking away on the ground where I've laid some new grass seed. I don't think they're eating that, but I can't make out what they're eating.
I just hope the local cats don't get them. Far less natural!
I'm glad to hear it's potential good news about your woodland John. Let's hope the new owners are friendly.
I've had little clouds of sparrows landing in my garden this morning. They're usually bustling around the hedges at the front of the house. I noticed some chicks in the group today as well. Almost fully fledged but still being fed by parents.
They're pecking away on the ground where I've laid some new grass seed. I don't think they're eating that, but I can't make out what they're eating.
I just hope the local cats don't get them. Far less natural!
I'm glad to hear it's potential good news about your woodland John. Let's hope the new owners are friendly.
I have just been back up to the woods (after a morning walking other local woods) and the nest seems deserted.
But - I could hear a chick calling and eventually traced the calls to a tree by the road 100m away ... where I saw a very young juvenile sitting on a tree branch. A passing car scared him off but I could still hear cheeping deeper in the woods - well away from the nest tree....
I have never before seen or heard the juvies near the nest tree once they have flown - this is a most unusual year!
But - I could hear a chick calling and eventually traced the calls to a tree by the road 100m away ... where I saw a very young juvenile sitting on a tree branch. A passing car scared him off but I could still hear cheeping deeper in the woods - well away from the nest tree....
I have never before seen or heard the juvies near the nest tree once they have flown - this is a most unusual year!
I went up the woods again last night and again this morning. In the evening light I saw - and heard - the juvie about 200m away from the nest tree. This morning at 7.30 ish there was no sight nor sound. A successful season despite everything!
I've had one on my peanut feeder every day for the last week after not having had one come down all winter. It could be a change in the availability of food, although that seems strange coming into spring..
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