Great Spotted Woodpecker

[Pops]

What a great welcome I have received and what a great bunch of posters.
I look forward to getting to know everybody.

Meanwhile here is another of my regular visitors. I tend to have problems with this chap because he rarely holds his head still. It's a matter of taking bursts and hoping one comes out sharp enough to keep.

[Dogghound]

Classic shot of a Male GSW. Well done, these make great subjects to photo.

[The Black Rabbit]

Luvverly photo pops! I'm dead jealous!
We've erected a Woodpecker attractor in the garden over the weekend.
No takers yet, but I've seen them about in the trees surrounding the house, so I'm optimistic!
Doug

[ron1863]

Nice shot. We have them in our woods and they are hard to spot but they never visit my garden, lucky you

[Pete Collins]

That's a great shot Pops!

I haven't seen a GS Woodpecker in the garden for a while now, but saw one when I went for a walk in the Chilterns yesterday.

[naturelover]

hi pops welcome to the site,might have said this already but never mind,great photoe,i must say i have never seen one yet.

[Pops]

Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit

Luvverly photo pops! I'm dead jealous!
We've erected a Woodpecker attractor in the garden over the weekend.
No takers yet, but I've seen them about in the trees surrounding the house, so I'm optimistic!
Doug

can you give a bit of detail on the 'attractor' please Doug

[The Black Rabbit]

Originally Posted by Pops

can you give a bit of detail on the 'attractor' please Doug

Of course I can - though be warned - its very "Heath Robinson"

We went to the local DIY store, bought a 9' fence post (end backing rail actually, for £2.99), drove it into the ground to a depth of about 1.5', wired it to the fence for support and painted the top few inches bright red, as well as a strip about 1.5' from the top. (I hear the colour red often attracts Woodpeckers to peanut feeders).

Then, a simple matter of drilling a few holes in the post, pushing nuts into the holes, and smearing the top foot of post in a lot of suet, mixed unsalted nuts (mainly peanuts) and dried mealworms.
No joy this week yet - but it worked when I was a lad, and I'm sure we'll get a result soon...
Its certainly solid enough and wide enough for any woodpeckers to brace themselves with their stiff tail feathers, high enough to be pigeon and cat proof, suety, nutty and mealwormy enough to get their juices going, and red enough to catch their attention!
Doug

[stephen p]

Brilliant shot

I would love a Woodpecker in the Garden. I havent even seen one before

[paulchandler6]

Great shot Pops,very clear and detailed.

Paul