“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ....Oscar Wilde

Saturday 24 February 2018

My Sunday Photo... The Greater Spotted Woodpecker

With spring on it's way (hopefully) the sound of local woodpeckers reverberats all around our garden and nearby woods. 
It really is an incredible sound!
Here's on enjoying the peanuts from one of my feeders.
About blackbird-sized and striking black-and-white. 
It has a very distinctive bouncing flight and spends most of its time clinging to tree trunks and branches, often trying to hide on the side away from the observer. 
Its presence is often announced by its loud call or by its distinctive spring 'drumming' display. 
The male has a distinctive red patch on the back of the head and young birds have a red crown.
Great spotted woodpeckers can be seen in woodlands, especially with mature broad-leaved trees, although mature conifers will support them. 
They can also be found in parks and large gardens. 
They will come to peanut feeders and bird tables. 
Not found in the far North of Scotland, although we have four woodpeckers visiting us. 
Only a handful of pairs nest in Ireland, but numbers are increasing. 
Common in England and Wales.
(courtesy of James Taft Published on Jul 6, 2008)

I'm linking up as usual with My Sunday Photo over at Photalife.com
I hope you have a wonderful weekend
Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you again soon.

18 comments:

  1. We've just returned from Western Australia, where my early morning beach-front walks were punctuated by a cacophony of sound from the cocaktoos in the trees by the boardwalk. My God, they were loud!

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    1. I used to live in Melbourne Tim and the bird life there certainly seem to be very much louder than the majority of our birds. The Corella's used to fly in and hang around for a day or so on their flight path... making an incredible noise as they chattered away. The lorikeets are quite vociferous too. Then of course there's the Kookaburra!
      I bet you're missing the Aussie heat now ;D
      Stay cosy and thanks for visiting my place.

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  2. It's a wonderful sound and your photos are simply beautiful and so clear

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    1. Aww thanks Fiona, I can't resist taking photographs of all the birds that visit us. I really should move on to other things!
      Have a great week and hopefully you aren't snowed in like us :/

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    2. Sadly no snow here but some lovely sunshine!

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  3. Replies
    1. Thanks Debra... I just can't resist taking photos of our feathered visitors. Have a great week!

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  4. Hi Denise, what a wonderful bird to have as a regular visitor. Just hearing the sound of it drumming must warm the cockles of your heart after a long winter.

    xx

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  5. Such fantastic photos. I think I've only seen a woodpecker a couple of times in my life.

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  6. Great captures, we've added a few feeders to the garden in the hope that we get some visitors

    Thank you for linking up to #MySundayPhoto

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  7. These are gorgeous and I love how the birds are varying as the seasons pass.

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  8. beautiful beautiful!!!!

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  9. Oh wow, amazing pictures. I heard a woodpecker in the woods the other day, spring is definitely on the way!

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  10. Really lovely photos Neesie. Thanks for the link to hear the Woodpecker... they tap so fast!! amazing :D)

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  11. neat looking birds :) sadly haven't seen any around here, maybe too many buzzards and other raptors around

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  12. Such beautiful birds. Great captures. I would love to photograph a woodpecker x #MySundayPhoto

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  13. the woodpeckers where I live is very shy. They don´t like to come when people are around. Love your images. Hope the long tailed tits comes back to you, they are wonderful birds. :)

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  14. Just lovely seeing your photographs here.

    All the best Jan

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