Woodpeckers drumming?

[Billabong Karen]

Excuse a question from a non-expert please - this morning I heard woodpeckers drumming in the wood, similar to how they do in the spring. Are they marking their territory? Is it to scare away the young birds out of the adults' territory?? I couldnt see the woodpecker to identify, but we do get lesser spotteds around here.

[RoyW]

Drumming is a territorial thing for woodpeckers and is used in the same way as other birds use singing. At this time of year, it would be extremely unusual for woodpeckers to be drumming (they will still be digging insects out of rotting wood, but this has a different sound). Occasionally you do hear birds singing in the autumn though, and I supose that it is possible a woodpecker was 'practising'.
Another possibility is that you heard a Carrion Crow, which sometimes give a strange call that sounds peculiarly like a drumming woodpecker.

[Billabong Karen]

I must say I was very surprised, as I have not heard this before either... Will listen again carefully on my dog walk tomorrow morning, and see if I can spot what exactly it is that is making the drumming noise.

[htcdude]

Snipe have a 'drumming' like call as well.

Nige

[Dogghound]

I have to disagree with Roy here as drumming great spots in September is actually quite a frequent occurance in my experience. Like you I have never fully understood it as the perpondence of drumming occurs between December and May into June sometimes. There then appears to be a second peak in September, sometimes into early October. This I assume is linked to territorial confrontations in respect to roosting sites, particularly with older bird warning off young birds as the population will be at its greatest around now, I dont think 1st year birds drum until winter is well underway, so I dont think its these.

[Billabong Karen]

Thank you Dogghound. I'll keep my ears and eyes open tomorrow morning and let you know if anything is being 'drummed up' ...

[Billabong Karen]

No drumming to be heard today, so this remains a mystery.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

I have to disagree with Roy here as drumming great spots in September is actually quite a frequent occurance in my experience. Like you I have never fully understood it as the perpondence of drumming occurs between December and May into June sometimes. There then appears to be a second peak in September, sometimes into early October.

Curious. Its certainly something that I very rarely come across (I can only think of a single occasion when I've heard drumming in autumn, and that bird only drummed once).
It is mentioned in BWP, which says that most drumming is between Jan and June, with "sporadic" drumming in September - which makes it similar to singing in many other resident species.

[Billabong Karen]

Walked through the wood again today, and heard the drumming again. I would absolutely agree with Dogghound, it definitely appears to be territorial, as there were several birds, in different trees, taking it in turns to do the drumming. It sounded as though they were responding to each other. There was also the 'tap' sound as they looked for food. Unfortunately I was still unable to see them, as they were high up in the trees (pines), and I was in a bit of a hurry.

Since there were several different birds, I am sure this must be a territorial thing, probably with the older birds staking their claim.

[The Woodman]

Having never seen a night roosting 'pecker, can anyone tell me where they roost, e.g. in their nest cavities or elsewhere?

I hope you don't mind me asking this Q in your thread, Karen.