Great Spotted Woodpecker

You don’t have to see a great spotted woodpecker to appreciate it. No matter how far off it might be when you hear that rat tat tat as it’s beak drills into wood, at the rate of between 10 and 40 strikes per second, in search of insects you have to stop and listen in awe and wonder.

This first sequence of two images shows a juvenile great spotted woodpecker (identified by its red cap) which has taken a peanut from a feeder and jammed it into the split in the post so that it can peck away at it. You can see the half eaten peanut just above the nail. These images were taken at the Hawk and Owl Trust’s reserve on the Somerset Levels in 2024.

This second sequence of three images is of an adult male feeding a juvenile still in the nest. These images were taken at RSPB Ham Wall in 2020.

The adult male has caught some food for its young.

A juvenile has found the feeders. Interesting to see the tail feather markings.

Having had its fill, a juvenile is about to fly off and explore.

The following images were taken at the Hawk and Owl Sculthorpe Moor reserve in June 20025.