Great Spotted Woodpeckers are regular year round visitors to the bird feeders in our garden. Every summer these delightful birds bring their young with them to feed. Whilst they can fly the youngsters usually can't work out how to get at the food, pecking desultorily at dropped bits of peanut but not yet realising the power they have. Instead they cling to the wire peanut holder or sit in the seed tray waiting for the parent to stuff food in their mouth. I have photographed these birds feeding their young before and posted one of the pictures four years ago in a piece headed Young Birds. That year the date was August 8. This year we saw the first youngster today, June 20.
Brilliant photos. We saw the first young in our garden three days ago. The female brought them to the peanut feeder and one clung on as it was fed by the adult. The other fluttered to the ground then flew off. Later I saw one young clinging to the trunk of a Scots Pine, but it was only about one foot above the ground. They've still got a lot to learn.
ReplyDeleteWe had a blackbird with 5 chicks in the garden at the start of the week. Every chick was bigger than the parent bird, and they mobbed it as it was feeding them.
ReplyDeleteI sent it my sympathy!!.
Omg the Större Hackspett photos are amazing. I have been watching and filming them in Sweden this winter and they are by far one of the most beautiful birds. Thanks for sharing the pictures and cool site with us. The feeding caught on your photos just so cute. I seldom search sites and things online except to find my pages but this time I am glad I clicked the photo and found your website. If I get free time I will sure check it all out.
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