holes in trees. Likely candidate?

[Dave H]

Hi, new to watching the birds (more closely than ever before), we saw a greater spotted woodpecker in a local beech wood.
This was a great thrill and set off a few more forays into the park, but all without spotting the greater spotted......
Now that we look, we see all sorts of things which we didn't notice on our normal park walks, like the holes in the trees. These are fascinating.
In what looks like old or dead trunks, there are many holes here and there, many look very regular and round.
One or two trunks have very new holes, with clean and bright wood visible within the hole. These are all over 15ft from the ground and are perhaps 2 inches in diameter. Is it the woodpecker's work? Is there a good time of day to catch him at his holes?


Regards, Dave...

[amanda]

Hi dave, i'm also new to birdwatching and today i also saw my first Great spotted woodpecker, which finished of a good day.On the way to buy a bird bath we saw a Red kite flying very low over Otley, then on the way home we followed a Gray Herron

[alanjns]

Hi Dave,

Great Spotted Woodpeckers do make nest holes of around 2 inches in diameter, and bore into the tree for a couple of inches before directing the hole downwards to a chamber, about 6 inches in diameter, that they line with wood chips. They like Birch and Oak trees and will climb up the trunk chipping away at the bark and dead material searching for food. I usually know where to look for them when I hear their drumming first.

Well done with the Red Kite Amanda, I'm jealous, I've never seen one.

Regards,

Alan

[amanda]

Dear Alan, just thought i would let you know i have seen another Red Kite to day. We don't live far from Harewood House (West Yorkshire) were they have many breading pairs, you can sit and watch them all day. As the numbers have grown they are starting to spread them self further afield, and because they are so big easy to spot!

[Dave H]

Thanks for the info and congrats to Amanda on your first sighting of the woodpecker and multiple sightings of the red kite. All very exciting and sure to get us all out again.

Dave

[alanjns]

Hi Amanda,

No need to rub it in

On my local patch in Blackpool there are Sparrowhawks, Kestrels and the occasional Hen Harrier. I've only ever seen 1 Kestrel last February. Then a few days ago I went to Leighton Moss and saw Marsh Harriers. They were magnificent (some very poor photo's in my albums)

Cheers,

Alan

[birdbrain]

I saw a Red Kite in Inverness! I also see woodpeckers aplenty where i go mountain biking in Glentress forest (Green and Greater spotted), near Peebles, Scotland.

[alanjns]

Have managed to get a few pics of Great Crested Woodpecker at their nest hole bringing food for their chicks - pictures in the Stanley Park album.

Does anyone else have similar pics?

Alan

PS: Apparently there is a nesting Sparrowhawk in the park too - I haven't seen it yet, but have seen photographic evidence from others. I'll keep looking.