Green Woodpecker
Yes, it is rather a grand name for a process which involves staring out of my kitchen window and looking at the bird feeder. But it’s not a title I used so I thought I’d give it a go. Today’s entries for the BTO survey have hit a new low in terms of numbers and lack of variety, but they say all results are useful, even the things you don’t see.
We’ve had a good run recently with several new species and several species we’d only seen before we started recording. None of them have been rare. During the week we saw goldfinches flying over, but they didn’t stop. Since moving in we’ve also seen a green woodpecker nearby (and know that Mum and dad had one in the garden when they lived here), parakeets and kites. We also know there’s been a sparrowhawk in the area. So there’s plenty of potential for future sightings, it’s just a case of keeping going and seeing what happens.
Male Reed Bunting
When we used to feed birds on the farm it took a while for the full variety to show, but once, for instance, we attracted Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, they seemed to become regulars quite quickly.
Part of the problem is the sparsity of habitat in the garden. There’s a lot more to do to the design as there’s only a narrow bed at the back and the shrubs in it overgrown. I want to do more with it, but I don’t want to disrupt their current habits all in one go.
I’ve already been looking at seed catalogues and I’m now going to have a look at books on plants for wildlife. Somewhere in the middle I’m sure we can find a balance. I’m aiming for wildlife friendly plants and a tropical field. With rhubarb. Rhubarb is sort of tropical, and it’s good to eat. I almost forgot that – the new garden design needs to be wildlife friendly, tropical themed, with fruit and veg. And it needs to be low maintenance. What could possibly go wrong with that plan?
Redpoll and Goldfinch on the Ecocentre feeder
Photos are from around the Ecocentre – as i say, we got a better variety of birds.
It takes a while to get used to a new yard. We have been here for over 40 years and I am still trying to get the balance right.
🙂 We were in the last palce 36 years and it was worse when we left than when we started, so you are doing OK. 🙂
It would be nice to think you have descendants of your parents’ woodpeckers. My friend Giles’s garden was all laid to lawn when he bought the house some years ago. He turned it into a packed wildlife garden. I am confident you will do the same.
Yes, it’s an interesting thought about the woodpeckers. It’s a case of fairly dull garden which has been allowed to deteriorate a bit over the years. Nothing really wrong with it, but lots that I could d to improve it. Without the energy or the money to take on big projects it’s going to be a case of compromise.
The green woodpecker is good. I have only seen one twice in my whole life, I think.
They are impressive birds. We had a parakeet fly over very low today. However, I have never seen a Hen Harrier and have only seen Dippers a few times.
The green woodpecker is beautiful. I don’t think we have any here colored like that. From what I see on the ODFW page is the general theme of black, white and red with a splash of yellow. We get a lot of flickers and downy woodpeckers here.
https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/kingfishers-and-woodpeckers
Your plan for landscaping and gardening sounds like a good one. “Build, and they will come”.
As usual, you have a far wider selection than we do. We have Greater and Lesser Spotted and Green. Plus the Wryneck, which is just a rare visitor these days.