unusual Woodpecker behaviour

[JeffH]

Great Spotted Woodpeckers (GSWs) have been daily visitors to our garden for many years, often in pairs or family groups of up to 4, with peanut feeders being the main attraction.

They nest in the trees surrounding the meadow adjacent to our garden and for several seasons a pair used one of the nestboxes I put up there.

Last winter and for the first time in 30 years, they showed interest in some of the nestboxes within our garden and opened up the entrance holes in 5 of them, with some assistance from one of our local Green Woodpeckers (another regular garden visitor that breeds well locally).

One GSW then roosted in a particular nestbox every night throughout the whole of February and I thought might even nest in it, but didn’t

Last Spring I repaired the entrance holes on 2 of the damaged boxes (intended for and used by Tits) but left the others with the enlarged holes and one was used by Starlings.

This winter a local female has again been showing interest in one particular box, but has been displaying some unusual behaviour. During the Christmas/New Year period I observed her sitting in the box for quite long periods, peering out of it - see 1st photo below - but, on two occasions, then darting out and engaging in aerial battles with one of our resident Blackbirds before returning to the nestbox.



On another occasion she left the nestbox and flew directly and aggressively towards one of our nearby feeding stations (holding 4 different feeders) and scattered a dozen or so Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches and House Sparrows for no apparent reason before going back to the box.

Normally the visiting GSWs don’t seem to bother the other birds and if one disturbs a group of Finches or Tits from a nut feeder, they often just go to ground beneath the feeder to pick up the pieces resulting from the Woodpecker’s rather messy feeding style.

I’m wondering whether this apparent and previously unseen aggression towards some of the other local birds is a display of heightened territorial behaviour, perhaps giving some early indication of the intention of using the nestbox to actually nest in? Anyone got any other theories?

She’s also been (for the first time that we’ve noticed) on one of the Kingfisher perches placed over one of our ponds – see 2nd photo below - perhaps she's just envious of all the photographic attention that our visiting Kingfishers get



Finally and most unusually of all, I saw her leave the nestbox and land on the ground immediately below it – see 3rd photo. In more than 30 years of birding I can’t recall ever seeing a GSW on the ground before - unlike the Green Woodpeckers which regularly feed on the ants in our lawns – has anyone else ever seen one on the ground?



Jeff

PS. Sorry about the quality of the photos – all taken rather hurriedly and through double-glazing.

[ron1863]

Hi, you are very lucky as I have only ever saw one live. We have lots of woodpeckers in our local area as I often hear them but they are rarely seen.

[juliejam]

Its the same for me...always hearing them only seen a handful in my time...Im always seeing plenty of Green Woodpeckers in my local park...


Julie

[GuyF]

This summer I had a juvenile Great-spotted Woodpecker that was regularly flying down onto the lawn and pecking into the soil just like a Green Woodpecker, but I don't think it's common behaviour!
Hopefully your females strange behaviour means she's planning to breed, it would be nice to watch a Woodpecker family
Guy

[naturelover]

all i can say to that is,you lucky lot i have never seen a woodpecker in my life,only on tv or books.

[galanthus]

I've seen quite a few of both, however, have never in 11 years of birding seen a lesser spotted I've been darted at by a GSW in woodland near it's nest, however, not lucky enough to have them in my garden. A friend of mine has them nesting every year and she said they get on quite well with other birds as long as they don't go too near the nest or juvenilles. You must have a huge garden lucky thing

[dmclean2]

Hi! Jeff,
I had , for the first time ever a woodpecker in the garden on the 30th and 31st of December , it was a Green woodpecker and like yourself I had to take quick shots through double glazed windows , but it has not returned as yet, but I keep looking and hoping, you are very lucky to have them arround you like that.
Cheers ....Duncan.

[Marshall Stax]

It certainly sounds like she is defending what she has claimed as her territory, so fingers crossed that she is willing to breed there.

If she does it would be great if you would be willing to run a kind of photo diary for us all, as it is certainly something I would be interested in.

David

[Oscar2006]

I have GSW in my garden on a daily basis, but Have never seen them on the ground! Some very interesting behaviour that is worthy of some notes sending to your County bird Recorder.

[jamiewade94]

I Have never seen a Greater Spotted Woodpecker in my 13 year old life. I haven't even seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker! I have only seen a Green Woodpecker