Thread: Loony Woodpeckers
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Old 16-06-2012, 01:43 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Roger Tonkin[_2_] Roger Tonkin[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2012
Posts: 459
Default Loony Woodpeckers
In article ,
lid says...

Now getting several visits a day from a group of 2 adult and 2 junior
greater spotted woodpeckers. The juniors are about the same size as
the adults, they just look a little fatter, and have almost the same
colouring.

They all land on a pergola from which a peanut feeder hangs. Then the
adults, which I think are a male and a female, take it in turns to
headbang for peanuts, fly back up to the top of the pergola and feed
one of the youngsters. I've noticed that each adult feeds a single
juvenile and there's no clamouring from the one not being fed, they
both wait patiently for the respective adult to feed them.

They've managed to slightly buckle the feeder but no serious damage
done (yet). If the rain stops and the glass clears in the windows I
might get a photo but they seem extremely alert to the slightest
movement so no chance of opening a window.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from Swansea Bay. Dave's at that end; I'm at this end.
Bill G's in the middle. Come to think of it, where is Bill G these days?

My woodpeckers usually do the same, but not see any youngsters yet up
here in the hills!

Ypu can tell male & female apart, as the male has a red blob on his
neck/head. Youngsters do not have the red bum's at first and tend to be
quite yellowish-white on front, but rapidly develop.

Never had any problem with feeder damage from them, but I watched a
squirrel this morning pick up a hanging seed feeder, turn it on it's
side and shake it to make the seed fall out! I managed to creep up
behind a bush and splat hime with my water pistol before her could eat
it though! Had a good laugh this morning when one of the little
blighters tried to climb the hanginh feeder pole that I smothered with
some old vaseline I found at the back of the garage cupboard, he got
half way up, then slowly slid back down twice before giving up!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales
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