Woodpeckers' nest

Back in March, the Eurasian Nuthatches and the Great Spotted Woodpeckers appeared to be vying for the same nesting hole. The female woodpecker was inside, but the nuthatch chased her out.

The nuthatches were later seen reducing the size of the hole by constricting the entrance with mud. Victory to the nuthatches, or so it seemed.

Shortly after, they abandoned the hole in favour of another in Bat Oak, leaving the original hole unattended. Two months later, the woodpeckers are in residence there and feeding chicks.

Both parents are bringing food to the nest and feeding the noisy chicks. The male has a bright red mark on the nape of his neck. The female makes do with just black.

Even when the parents are out foraging, the chicks are chuckling to themselves and if you listen carefully you might hear them as you walk along the path. On 28th May, the sound of tapping was heard from inside the hole as if the parents were excavating more room for the growing chicks.

Woodpeckers have stiff tail feathers which they use to brace themselves against the grip of their claws. They have zygodactyl feet (two facing forward and two facing backwards) where most other birds have three forward-facing toes and one pointing rearwards.

Copulation observed on April 17th ties in well with the timing of this nest. If a fertilised egg was laid the next day and perhaps five more on subsequent days, the chicks will be due to fledge (leave the nest) by the last weekend of May. 

After this they will continue to be fed by their parents until they are able to look after themselves. Usually that takes nearly two weeks. Look for a bird with a red cap to distinguish the youngster.