Great Spotted Woodpecker

~ maybe she is just getting ready Dawn and staking out her territory?
I hope you had a happy Christmas day and best wishes for a great 2010!

Hi There Arlene, hope you had a good one too. We'll have to see what BB thinks - notice its the woman doing all the work though, ha ha.

Well photographed D/aunt. Well we all know if she waits for the partner to get on with the DIY ready for Spring there will be a delay so like all females she ismaking a start and hope it pricks his conscience!!!!
What a great view for you to look forward to though, watching the tooing and froing of the birds getting ready for their babies and then watching them busy, busy, busy carrying food to them. Happy new year Dawn'saunt love Sue xx

Glad you like the photos Sue. Not the best of quality but she is very high up the tree and I took the photos from the kitchen window so not to disturb her. I hope it is a nest, it will be a wonderful view for us from the window.

What a clever little bird, good photos too Dawn :-)))
You'll be able to watch her over the months now.

Lovely to see this Dawn ..I dont really know any more than you as we both have that BTO book lol apparently they do stake out territory early and use the same tree but not the same hole ...so may explain the two holes .

Hope you had a good Christmas .

Hi Dawn...
I reckon the woodpeckers are cold...
..going inside the tree to warm up :o)

Great pix Dawn... We have a woody as a very occasional visitor to our garden.

looks like you will have babies next year dawn, think they have chosen to be with you, great pics, keep an eye out next spring and keep camera close ;o))

How exciting to have this going on in your own garden Dawn, I feel privileged if I even get to see a woodpecker! I do hope you get some babies and take lots of pics to share with us, you lucky thing!! :o)))

Thanks Everyone, it is quite exciting even though we dont really know what's going on. I'll keep you posted. x

Aye Dawn whilst feeling sympathy for Mrs woodpecker spare a thought for Mr wren poor fella builds up to six nests so Mrs can get to choose lol

Mr Wren sounds like my kind of man :-)

Janes too Dawn ..keeps demanding I take her to look at the other 5 houses lol

lovely photos dawn. I love these birds, we have them visiting the feeder but dont know where they nest.

Well captured, I do like the woodpeckers, we have them all around but not in our trees.

That was fascinating Dawn. I never knew they made such large holes.
I had a lovely Christmas thank you and I hope you did aswell. Happy New Year next :o))

You are so lucky to have this wonderful visitor - and the nest so close to you! I do hope they raise a brood there.

Thanks for the photos - I enjoyed them. :-) We get green woodpeckers here, but not the others.

Look forward to seeing pics of young ones Dawn. Sounds like Mr. Wren needs to get his act together.

Thanks for your comments :-) Yes, lets hope we get some babes in the Spring :-)

What a brilliant blog you are lucky to have a woody so close, i've heard them in the woods but have never actually seen one. A blue tit has been showing an interest in one of my boxes and decided to go in yesterday, so i'm hopeful for a nest next year.I have got a camera in the box so it should be interesting.

Thanks Tulsalady :-) We sometimes here them drumming the trees and the green woodpecker is also closeby, he very vocal :-)

What a lovely blog Da and great photos. You are so lucky to have such birds in your garden, I haven't ever seen one in all my 74 years. I do hope none of the birds nest and brood too early as it has happened, then they lose everything and have to start all over again later.
Its wonderful that you managed to get those pics, and yes what a clever bird to design her own high-rise apartment.

Thanks Mad - Its a shame you've never seen one, I've never seen a Tree Creeper or a Nuthatch :-( She's up there now - her bottom is sticking out of the bottom hole and then she pops her head out of the top hole - she's even chosen a branch that faces west - away from too much sun which is very convenient as it faces our windows.

Wonderful news Dawn, you are so lucky..I'l bet you sat there all day watching the bird..long long time since I have seen a Green Woodpecker..looking forward to spring..please keep us posted...
Happy New Year xx

She is also a very considerate Woodpecker then, making sure that you can see her activities - she knows you're a friend!

How lucky for you to have the woodpecker in your garden and making holes for his nest.......

Here's hoping they do raise a brood for you - will look forward to news with great interest. Happy New Year.

I will update the blog if we are lucky enough to get some babies :-)

Oooh - do another one, Dawn - this one will get so far down the list by then!

Can't wait.... :-))))))))))))

~ we have had Nuthatches for some years now Dawn~ they will also eat sunflower seed as well as nuts but only ever seen the Woodpecker once in the garden although I frequently hear drumming in the woods from about March~~going to buy my hubby some good binoculars for his birthday and borrow them on walks into the woods!

Good idea Barbara, I'll do another blog if things develop.

The binoculars sound a good idea Arlene, especially as you can borrow them. It would be nice to see a photo of the nuthatches.

Brill Photos Dawn & how exciting :)

Thanks Jacque, hope you've had a good Christmas x

Been Great thanx Dawn :) X

How lovely Dawn we have one visit the birdfeeder now and again, can't wait till spring to see if you have baby woodpeckers how exciting :-)
Did notice our greenfinches are back today on the feeders :-)

Very interesting never to old to learn are we. all the best for new year.

Thanks Simbad and Clarice. Happy New Year to you both too.
Lets hope for babies in the Spring :-)

Hi Dawn...Jane here.Just reading Deidas comment on her bullfinch pic about woodpeckers habit of raiding small birds nests.Looked it up and its true ! (Page 130 of our BTO book )...thats nature for you ! x

I envy you having them in your garden.

Maybe you'll get some one day Jbardet. She's been up there again this morning, chipping away.

Absolutely superb pics Dawnsaunt. I'm sure you'll enjoy watching the activity. I, like Jbardet, am very envious!

Hi Paul, yes its lovely to watch, thank you.

Hi Jane, I'll take a look at page 130, its hard to believe they can be so gruesome, isnt it. I think a sparrow hawk did a 'fly-by' past the feeder today when the woodpecker was feeding, a sharp intake of breath, but it was OK. The book doesnt say too much about nesting habits, does it.

Page 131 gives nesting info Dawn.Common for them to start courtship in December and then excavating new nest hole.So yours are spot on !

Not seen our sparrowhawk for a few days but they ae so quick you could blink and miss a visit !

Hi Ray/Jane - thanks for that, I didnt see that part so nice to know it likely to be a nest, I'll take a look :-)

Just caught up with this blog, Dawn. What a brilliant view you're going to have - I would be stood at the window all day, not that I'm a nosey neighbour really! I reckon she hopes you'll let Springwatch know so that she can be on TV :)

Hi Gee, that's the problem, very distracting, the binoculars are on the windowsill permanently.

That's a good idea, Gee - I'm sure Springwatch would be interested.

I think so, too, it's not something that everyone has a chance to watch. Go for it, Dawn :)

Do you really think they would be interested. I must admit though, we have got a smashing view.

I think they're always on the lookout for good places to put their cameras and I don't remember seeing a Greater Spotted Woodpecker nest on there in the past.

Just seen this Dawn......you lucky devil.....I havent seen a woodpecker since I left Bury St Edmunds......

OK Wagger, thanks for this info, I'll see if it looks like its definitely going to be a nest and maybe email them :-)

Hi Maureen, just saw your comment. Come and visit me and you can watch them for most of the day :-)

Great idea of Waggers...Think they may suggest you install a camera and then they would show the videos Dawn.

Will you go up the ladder to place the camera Ray? Its about 30 feet up, lol.

Okay Dawn..probably bonkers enough ! Lol

You're too precious to put at risk Ray :-) Maybe the local fire brigade could oblige.

Ahh those hunky men in uniform ! Cant compete with them ! Lol

Nahhhh, they dont appeal to me Ray, prefer you up the ladder but too risky.

Bless you ! x