for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

In message . com,
" writes
for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

We had this problem with a woodpecker, and we covered the house with
bottom tray from a pram we happened to have kept. A largeish hanging
basket or something similar could also be draped over the nest box, I
think: anything the tits can get through but not the bigger bird,
whatever it is.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 21/5/07 09:48, in article
,
" wrote:

for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

Best to leave it, Judith and let the parents chase off the woodpecker.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

On May 21, 10:15 am, Sacha wrote:
On 21/5/07 09:48, in article
om,





" wrote:
for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

Best to leave it, Judith and let the parents chase off the woodpecker.

But they don't, they fly into the trees. I have just chased it off
again, it's black, white and red, is it a woodpecker and if it gets in
will it kill the chicks?

I've just 'phoned a friend and she says it's nature!!!

Judith

wrote in message
oups.com...
On May 21, 10:15 am, Sacha wrote:
On 21/5/07 09:48, in article
om,





" wrote:
for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

Best to leave it, Judith and let the parents chase off the woodpecker.

But they don't, they fly into the trees. I have just chased it off
again, it's black, white and red, is it a woodpecker and if it gets in
will it kill the chicks?

I've just 'phoned a friend and she says it's nature!!!

Judith


So it is. Leave it alone.

Mike


--
The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association.
'THE' Association if you served in the Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy
Reunion Bournemouth August/September 2007
www.rneba.org.uk

On May 21, 10:12 am, Klara wrote:
In message . com,
" writes



for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

We had this problem with a woodpecker, and we covered the house with
bottom tray from a pram we happened to have kept. A largeish hanging
basket or something similar could also be draped over the nest box, I
think: anything the tits can get through but not the bigger bird,
whatever it is.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks Clara, I am off to empty out a hanging basket.

Judith

On 21/5/07 10:23, in article
,
" wrote:

On May 21, 10:15 am, Sacha wrote:
On 21/5/07 09:48, in article
om,





" wrote:
for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

Best to leave it, Judith and let the parents chase off the woodpecker.

But they don't, they fly into the trees. I have just chased it off
again, it's black, white and red, is it a woodpecker and if it gets in
will it kill the chicks?

I've just 'phoned a friend and she says it's nature!!!

Judith


It sounds very like a woodpecker. And yes, they're well known for taking
the eggs and young of other birds, especially tits. Klara's idea is an
excellent one, IMO.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

wrote in message
ups.com...
for 2 days I have heard a noise like a woodpecker and this morning I
finally tracked down what he was doing. I was woken by this yammering
on wood and I thought it was in the eaves, it wasn't it was at the
bird box on the wall and pecking the entrance hole enlarging it!

I shooed it off but it was back within a minute. The parents of the
blue tits in the box only came back after the bad bird had gone.


Great Spotted Woodpecker.
http://www.birdfinders.co.uk/images/...rocco-2006.jpg
http://www.bto.org/birdtrends2005/im...wo10CV300w.jpg
http://www.pinkmoose.ic24.net/images...oodpecker1.jpg


I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak, I don't know if that is a woodpecker or
not. Sorry not to be more precise. My question is, as I am just
going out to the dentist, what can I do to protect the birds? Shall I
take the box off the wall until I get back or would that distress the
parents so much that they might abandon it? An urgent reply would be
appreciated.

Judith

wrote
On May 21, 10:12 am, Klara wrote:
We had this problem with a woodpecker, and we covered the house with
bottom tray from a pram we happened to have kept. A largeish hanging
basket or something similar could also be draped over the nest box, I
think: anything the tits can get through but not the bigger bird,
whatever it is.

Thanks Clara, I am off to empty out a hanging basket.

Sounds like the bird is a great spotted woodpecker. Handsome things - we
have one visiting our peanut feeder every day.

Too late for this season, but you might find nestboxes for small birds
are available that have a flat metal surround fixed round the entrance
hole to prevent attack by woodpeckers. Perhaps you could fix something
suitable to the box for future years. We got one from the RSPB catalogue
like that several years ago which also has a removable front panel so it
can be converted to a des res for robins.

--
Sue

I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak,

Most woodpeckers have red feathers on the head but if, as you say, the bird
was black then it might have been a dyocopus martius a.k.a. a black
woodpecker but they are almost as large as a crow and have not been recorded
in Britain. Stand by for twitchers?!!

My guess is that it was either a great spotted woodpecker (picoides major)
which also has a red bum or a lesser spotted woodpecker (picoides minor)
having no red bum! Both these are fairly common and the former has a
penchant for bluetits' peanuts so it might be an idea to move any peanut
dispenser far away from any nest box.

By the way, the best thing for getting rid of blackfly etc from your roses
are peanuts. Use a plastic container (dried milk type are best) cut a 2
inch diameter hole in its base place a piece of wire netting (the sort used
for peanut dispensers) inside the container so that it covers the hole.
Fill up the container with peanuts, put the lid on and hang the container
not too far from your roses. Whilst the bluetits are queueing to get to the
peanuts, they do the rounds of the roses and eat the blackfly!

Geoff

I wonder if the bluetits visit a peanut dispenser? If they do, I expect the
nest box smells of peanuts. I suppose there's a possibility that the
woodpecker can smell peanuts in the box and is trying to get to them.

Perfumed spray might deter it!!!

Geoff

In message .com,
" writes
Thanks Clara, I am off to empty out a hanging basket.

Judith

(Sorry, Judith, if I emailed you it was by accident!)

What I meant to say was, you obviously don't have a husband like mine:
we have a whole barn full of "items that might come in handy one day"!

But seriously, the "cage" has worked brilliantly for us for many years
now. I really don't know why someone hasn't started to make something
like this professionally ... actually, come to think of it ...

Good luck - and keep us posted!

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On 21/5/07 13:28, in article ,
"Geoff" wrote:

I wonder if the bluetits visit a peanut dispenser? If they do, I expect the
nest box smells of peanuts. I suppose there's a possibility that the
woodpecker can smell peanuts in the box and is trying to get to them.

Perfumed spray might deter it!!!

Geoff



"Although feeding their own young largely on insects and spiders, great
spotted woodpeckers are notorious for taking the eggs and young of other
hole-nesting birds (especially tits and house martins)."
http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird...woodpecker.asp

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)

The message
from "Geoff" contains these words:


I don't know anything about birds, the bad one was black with a red
crest and a longish beak,

Most woodpeckers have red feathers on the head but if, as you say, the bird
was black then it might have been a dyocopus martius a.k.a. a black
woodpecker but they are almost as large as a crow and have not been
recorded
in Britain. Stand by for twitchers?!!

My guess is that it was either a great spotted woodpecker (picoides major)
which also has a red bum or a lesser spotted woodpecker (picoides minor)
having no red bum! Both these are fairly common and the former has a
penchant for bluetits' peanuts so it might be an idea to move any peanut
dispenser far away from any nest box.

Actually Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers have become quite rare and are now
on the Red List of species in serious decline.

Judith's bird is almost certainly Great Spotted Woodpecker as they are
common in gardens and behave in just the way she describes.

Janet G

On May 21, 1:28 pm, "Geoff" wrote:
I wonder if the bluetits visit a peanut dispenser? If they do, I expect the
nest box smells of peanuts. I suppose there's a possibility that the
woodpecker can smell peanuts in the box and is trying to get to them.

Perfumed spray might deter it!!!

Geoff

I couldn't smell any peanut to be on the safe side, I sprayed Chanel
No. 5 on the roof.

Judith