Great Spotted Woodpeckers?

Buteo Buteo

I occasionally check the Irish Birding's website of recent sightings.

One thing I notice is that all of the sightings of Great Spotted Woodpeckers occur in the east of the country, Wicklow most of all, then Wexford, Dublin, Armagh and other eastern counties. Kerry, Roscommon and Sligo come up only rarely. Very few seem to occur in Cork.

And I note that this situation hasn't changed much over a number of years.

I wonder if it is a lack of suitable habitat which is preventing their expansion westwards and southwards?

I've heard woodpeckers calling in a mature conifer plantation in the southeast and there would seem to be plenty of mature plantations in Co Waterford, for instance.

Is it that they prefer deciduous forest rather than conifers? That might explain the slow down in their expansion.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They prefer mature broadleaf woodland, so that habitat will see the first influx.

Buteo Buteo

Abigail Acidic Space-age wrote: »

They prefer mature broadleaf woodland, so that habitat will see the first influx.

There are a lot of small areas of mature broadleaf woodland scattered across the country but few really big stands, and they are far apart, so the woodpeckers may end up confined to the same eastern counties they first colonised?

I wonder to what extent they would use mature conifer plantations in the absence of broadleaf woodland?

Buteo Buteo

It appears that they do use conifers in the absence of broadleaf trees: https://www.irelandswildlife.com/great-spotted-woodpecker-ireland/

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Buteo Buteo wrote: »

It appears that they do use conifers in the absence of broadleaf trees: https://www.irelandswildlife.com/great-spotted-woodpecker-ireland/

Correct. I said they prefer broadleaf and will colonise there first.

OpenYourEyes

In fairness, they're breeding in 8-10 counties in ROI and 3 in NI, and they're only here 10 years. I've actually been amazed and delighted at how rapidly they've spread! Dispersing birds seen in plenty more counties in autumn/winter on top of that too!

Birdnuts

I'm pleased to learn that they've been expanding fast in my home county of Kildare in the last year or 2:)

OwlEye

Have seen them in Kilkenny and Carlow too.

Buteo Buteo

Abigail Acidic Space-age wrote: »

Correct. I said they prefer broadleaf and will colonise there first.

Interesting. Thanks.

Buteo Buteo

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

In fairness, they're breeding in 8-10 counties in ROI and 3 in NI, and they're only here 10 years. I've actually been amazed and delighted at how rapidly they've spread! Dispersing birds seen in plenty more counties in autumn/winter on top of that too!

Yes, that's thirteen counties so far, which is not insignificant. The scarcity of sightings in other counties may be down to a lack of observers.

It's great to see them return to this country and it's great see other species spreading like buzzard and little egret. House sparrows seem to be recovering too but greenfinches seem to be in trouble and I rarely see collared doves nowadays. Also song thrushes seem to be very scarce.

Birdnuts

Buteo Buteo wrote: »

Yes, that's thirteen counties so far, which is not insignificant. The scarcity of sightings in other counties may be down to a lack of observers.

It's great to see them return to this country and it's great see other species spreading like buzzard and little egret. House sparrows seem to be recovering too but greenfinches seem to be in trouble and I rarely see collared doves nowadays. Also song thrushes seem to be very scarce.

They been hit hard by trichosis a disease spread at bird feeders and grain stores - likely to be hitting the doves too!!

Buteo Buteo

Birdnuts wrote: »

They been hit hard by trichosis a disease spread at bird feeders and grain stores - likely to be hitting the doves too!!

Yes, I had heard about that. The recovery of the house sparrow may be a sign of hope.

corks finest

Do occur in cork ,saw one years ago near cloughduv

Seth Brundle

Birdnuts wrote: »

I'm pleased to learn that they've been expanding fast in my home county of Kildare in the last year or 2:)

Whereabouts in Kildare are they?
I'm in Leixlip and it would be great if they were nearby e.g. St Catherines Park, Castletown and along the Rye

Del.Monte

Came across this really informative video today - a quality production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E0afB5460E

Seth Brundle

Nice video.
Initially I was wondering if the old house was in Donadea but no. I see it also in his Red Squirrel vid (which is also worth a watch)

glaswegian

I hear a woodpecker drumming away most mornings in Doorly Park on the outskirts of Sligo town when i'm out for an early walk.

bobbysands81

Had them in a couple of huge trees out the front of the house the last couple of years. This is the time of year you start to hear them but haven’t them yet this year.

hirondelle

Birdnuts wrote: »

I'm pleased to learn that they've been expanding fast in my home county of Kildare in the last year or 2:)

Wow- without being too specific Birdnuts, where in Kildare are you? I'm near Prosperous and there are 2Ha of scots pine/norway spruce beside me- my assumption was that woodpeckers would only use broadleaved woods, but reading this thread has me very excited!


Red squirrels have moved in to it in the last year so it would be off the charts brilliant if woodpeckers colonised it as well! It was never thinned so there are some biggish standing dead trees that may be suitable.

axe2grind

I have a pair nesting in an Ash in my garden. What I am curious about is that the female is gathering peanuts out of the mesh feeder and presumably feeding it to the chicks. She makes numerous trips from feeders to nest, one or 2 round trips a minute. The male visits the feeders as well, but usually doesn't go direct to nest thereafter.

What is known about what chicks are fed?

With tits, while parents may visit feeders, it is caterpillars etc that they feed their chicks with.

New Home

I remember reading that ant eggs were the main source of food for the woodpecker's chicks, but I can't remember if it was the green woodpeckers or the great spotted type. I remember thinking "Are there even enough ant hills around to sustain them?", but there you have it.

HoteiMarkii

Del.Monte wrote: »

Came across this really informative video today - a quality production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E0afB5460E

This is a great video. Very informative. Thanks for sharing.

axe2grind wrote: »

I have a pair nesting in an Ash in my garden. What I am curious about is that the female is gathering peanuts out of the mesh feeder and presumably feeding it to the chicks. She makes numerous trips from feeders to nest, one or 2 round trips a minute. The male visits the feeders as well, but usually doesn't go direct to nest thereafter.

What is known about what chicks are fed?

With tits, while parents may visit feeders, it is caterpillars etc that they feed their chicks with.

There is a pair of adult Coal Tits raising a brood in a nest box which I put up here in February. They've been bringing in food to the youngsters relentlessly now for the past two weeks. I've noticed that while they're bringing in quite a lot of insects and caterpillars, they are also bringing in whatever my neighbour has in his feeders too. Just a guess, but maybe they're supplementing their diets with food from feeders following or during rainfall (and it has been raining here quite a bit in the past week) when it's more difficult for them to find the normal staple of insects and grubs. This morning was the first time I saw one of the youngsters poke its head out of the nest box entrance, so it would seem they may be preparing to fledge any day now.

axe2grind

The story is evolving. I have blue tits feeding chicks in nest box nearby and yesterday I noticed that they are being supplemented with peanuts as well. It's mainly caterpillars, but at times as with the woodpeckers, there is an intense shuttle run between feeders and nest box.

Also the male woodpecker found the tit box and started hacking at the entrance hole. Generally I am a let nature be person, but as I provided the nesting box, I felt obliged to interfere as the woodpecker was making light work of the softwood. So I placed another front on the box, and the blue tits continued as before. It's only temporary. I wil lhave to research permanent solution for making the nestboxes woodpecker proof.

Del.Monte

axe2grind wrote: »

The story is evolving. I have blue tits feeding chicks in nest box nearby and yesterday I noticed that they are being supplemented with peanuts as well. It's mainly caterpillars, but at times as with the woodpeckers, there is an intense shuttle run between feeders and nest box.

Also the male woodpecker found the tit box and started hacking at the entrance hole. Generally I am a let nature be person, but as I provided the nesting box, I felt obliged to interfere as the woodpecker was making light work of the softwood. So I placed another front on the box, and the blue tits continued as before. It's only temporary. I wil lhave to research permanent solution for making the nestboxes woodpecker proof.

A metal plate fitted over the entrance hole is the recommended solution: https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/nest-box-accessories/


See also:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/nestboxes/nestboxes-for-small-birds/conflicts-at-nestboxes/

Calculator123

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Whereabouts in Kildare are they?
I'm in Leixlip and it would be great if they were nearby e.g. St Catherines Park, Castletown and along the Rye

I'm pretty sure I heard one down a the River Rye in Leixlip last year. I heard one in Scotland years ago and met a wildlife photography team who were videoing it. The sound in Leixlip was the same, which gives me good confidence. Have yet to see one but live in hope.

Re the poster who has red squirrels in Prosperous - that's fantastic. I saw one in Lullymore about 2 years ago. Super to hear they're migrating ever further east.