Woodpecker diet

[Bobperry2]

Looks like our resident pair of Great spotted woodpeckers have successfully reared another brood. This pair feed in the garden all year round on the suet and peanut feeders. They nest in the woods at the bottom of the garden and when the young are fledged they bring them over.

Last year they nested in a dead silver birch and I was able to watch them coming and going through a scope. The male appeared to bring only grubs or natural food for the young but the female brought mostly suet. This year however I have seen both parents collecting suet regularly. Not sure if this is good for them, to be so dependant on an unnatural food. anyone got any thoughts on this?

Have attached a couple of shots of the male feeding one of the young on suet, taken through the kitchen window.

[Ollie]

I'm not sure about the Woodpecker diet Bob but that's a couple of very nice photos. Not many people will have seen this behaviour. I would suggest you upload these for the gallery.
Roger

[Het]

Lovely photographs. We have some visiting the feeders in our garden as well, they seem to be on the peanuts all the time at the moment and I kind of have the same concerns. I can't take the peanut feeder down as they then start to demolish the squirrel box to get at the food in it. The last couple of days they have been acting differently and making a lot of noise, hanging round the feeder and calling a lot. Is this them calling the young to show them the feeder I wonder?

[Bobperry2]

I'm not sure about the Woodpecker diet Bob but that's a couple of very nice photos. Not many people will have seen this behaviour. I would suggest you upload these for the gallery.
Roger

Thanks Roger. They have been uploaded.

[Bobperry2]

The last couple of days they have been acting differently and making a lot of noise, hanging round the feeder and calling a lot. Is this them calling the young to show them the feeder I wonder?

I'm sure you are right, mine are calling all the time.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Bobperry2

Looks like our resident pair of Great spotted woodpeckers have successfully reared another brood. This pair feed in the garden all year round on the suet and peanut feeders. They nest in the woods at the bottom of the garden and when the young are fledged they bring them over.

Last year they nested in a dead silver birch and I was able to watch them coming and going through a scope. The male appeared to bring only grubs or natural food for the young but the female brought mostly suet. This year however I have seen both parents collecting suet regularly. Not sure if this is good for them, to be so dependant on an unnatural food. anyone got any thoughts on this?

great pictures bob, definite candidates for the gallery - I wouldnt worry about the suet fat is fine for most birds, as they need an enourmos ammount of energy each day and the metabolises the fat into sugars their body needs - I very much doubt we will be seing any obese woodpeckerrs