MEGA!!!

12/06/11

Since i started birding about 9 years ago, i have always wanted to have a good view of a Lesser Spotted woodpecker, but during that whole time i have failed to locate many birds at all, with proberbly all my sightings of the species maybe equelling just into double figures of birds, and many of those views being Crap, or distant.

This has lead to this species becoming one of my 'priority' species, as on a yearly basis i usually get 1, but other years i could have 3, and then next have none.

And with some Healty competition with myself to beat my yearlist record ( 172 species) i just had to get these ' Hard to find species', and then just hope there was a good crop of rarities that drop in within reach.

Obviously my lists dont get that high, and my twicthing range is quite small, so sometimes that can make it difficult to get some of these species.

I decided to go for a walk at a place i have Nicknamed 'The Site', and i was walking up one of the tracks next to some feeders when suddenly a bird flushed up off the Feeder, i was left bemused for a second, the bird flew into a small tree where it Perched, and i was able to get my bins onto a stunning LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER clinging to a branch around 20 Ft from me!!!

I immidiatly Phoned my dad, who agreed to come out in the pouring rain to try and see this bird.

A single LSW is unusual enough, but when Another bird flew in from another tree behind me i was left gobsmacked!!

I couldnt believe that i was watching a pair of LSW with great Bin views.

The Female bird flew further away and landed on a bare tree, and started picking at the wood, this was my first opporotunity to film a LSW ever.

The bird spent a few minuites here, then flew back towards me by the feeders.

At this point i dropped away from the feeders, and put my scope up, and trained it on the feeder, it was only a matter of minuites before the Male bird again dropped onto the Feeder. And i took some videos ( the light was really bad so all images are video-grabs)

However once again, the shocking happened, and while Filming the male bird on the feeder, the Female bird also joined him.

Having the Feat of finding a pair of LSW was slightly put down when as we were scanning the tree's, my Dad located a 3rd LSW, this one a Juvenile bird, and quite recently fledged by the looks of it, indicating Breeding close by, and when i saw the birds fly up to a hole in the side of an Oak tree i was left certain this is where they had Bred. I only briefly saw the Juv LSW.

I went on to see all 3 British Woodeckers that day, having loads of GSW, most being Juv's, and 2 Green Woodpecker, A Feamle Blackcap also visited the feeders.

I couldnt believe my Luck, A breeding Pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker!!!!

MB