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Woodpeckers in Wexford.

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  • 22-03-2019 2:31pm
    #1
    bobbysands81
    Registered Users Posts: 7,200 ✭✭✭


    Never knew these were in Ireland but was woken by one this morning.

    For about 20 minutes it made the exact same noise as the 4th sound file down on the following link.

    https://www.xeno-canto.org/explore?query=Great+spotted+Woodpecker

    The noise was really rapid banging off the tree for approx 1 second followed by approx 10 second silence for approx 20 minutes stopping only about 3 times during the 20 minutes.

    There are approx 8-10 huge trees at the front of our house and I managed to stand under the tree that the bird was banging on but unfortunately could not see the bird. Once I was standing under the tree the bird stopped banging but I then had to leave for work.

    Do they nest in trees that they bang on?


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    #2
    recedite
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    AFAIK the drumming noise is something they do in spring to signal to, or attract, a mate.
    However they are very good at detecting rotten wood, so if I had "a huge tree at the front of my house" and woodpeckers were taking an interest in it, I might be getting concerned.


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    #3
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    They started breeding in Ireland about 10 years ago and they are spreading rapidly. They are now becoming common, but they are not the easiest to spot.


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    #4
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Off the top of my head I think they're confirmed breeding in 8 counties, possibly breeding in another 2, and have been recorded in a few more counties outside the breeding season on top of that! A very welcome arrival/return!


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    #5
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    I heard one near Castlebridge, Co Wexford last year. NPWS officer confirmed they are present in the county.


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    #6
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,473 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Where would they have come from?


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    #7
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,509 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    wales, IIRC.


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    #8
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Off the top of my head I think they're confirmed breeding in 8 counties, possibly breeding in another 2, and have been recorded in a few more counties outside the breeding season on top of that! A very welcome arrival/return!

    why? were they here before?


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    #9
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    fryup wrote: »
    why? were they here before?

    Archaeological evidence shows them being here since the bronze age. Their disappearance seems to coincide with the widespread deforestation during the 17th and 18th centuries.


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    #10
    Markcheese
    Registered Users Posts: 8,431 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    fryup wrote: »
    why? were they here before?

    One theory is we got magpies around the same time as we lost woodpeckers, and since both are pied the Irish word for both is the same...
    Dunno if there's any truth In it..

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



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    #11
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Markcheese wrote: »
    One theory is we got magpies around the same time as we lost woodpeckers, and since both are pied the Irish word for both is the same...
    Dunno if there's any truth In it..

    Not at all. There's at least 500 years between the two events.


    The Irish name is also the same for a Treecreeper. Basically Snagfor hiccup and breac for speckled or pied.
    Anything creeping and speckled or pied had the same name. And only in parts of the county. A magpie is Préachán breac elsewhere.


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    #12
    bernard0368
    Registered Users Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭bernard0368


    I was up in Emo Gardens in Laois on Saturday. photographing the squirrels. There was certainly two and maybe a third drumming away.
    It is the first year I have ever heard them up there.
    One was very close to me but damned if I could see him.


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    #13
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    New Home wrote: »
    Where would they have come from?
    magicbastarder wrote: »
    wales, IIRC.

    they flew across the irish sea? or were they reintroduced?


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    #14
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    fryup wrote: »
    they flew across the irish sea? or were they reintroduced?

    They flew over themselves.


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    #15
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    ^^^^^^^^^^

    certain of that? seems like a long journey for a woodpecker...and why didn't they do it years ago?


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    #16
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,473 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    A bald eagle made it all the way from the States, years ago - there was something on one of the threads a few months ago. If they have strong winds in their favour it would be much easier than we imagine.


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    #17
    tertials
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭tertials


    fryup wrote: »
    ^^^^^^^^^^

    certain of that? seems like a long journey for a woodpecker...and why didn't they do it years ago?

    They absolutely did make it over themselves. I remember being on Great Saltee Island on 10th May 2008 (which is a well know bird migration location), when one was seen flying around on the island. Photo: http://irishbirds.ie/search_results.php?species_anybird=Woodpecker%2C+Great+Spotted

    Also more were seen on other offshore migration spots such as Cape Clear Island, Co Cork on 19th April 2008. More and more were reported in the following years until they eventually started to breed in Co Wicklow, with no help from anyone!


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    #18
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    fryup wrote: »
    ^^^^^^^^^^

    certain of that? seems like a long journey for a woodpecker...and why didn't they do it years ago?

    Their numbers were lower in the UK a few decades ago - they increased to a point where the UK had a burgeoning population, and after that its a numbers game in terms of having loads of birds and a few of them deciding to venture across the Irish Sea in search of new habitat because it was hard to find available nesting territories where they were.


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    #19
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    OpenYourEyes wrote: »
    Their numbers were lower in the UK a few decades ago - they increased to a point where the UK had a burgeoning population, and after that its a numbers game in terms of having loads of birds and a few of them deciding to venture across the Irish Sea in search of new habitat because it was hard to find available nesting territories where they were.

    Ahhh I didn't know that, and it is an interesting piece of the puzzle. I thought they just happened to cross and it started from there. I was not aware they were not widespread in the UK until a few decades aso.


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    #20
    bobbysands81
    Registered Users Posts: 7,200 ✭✭✭bobbysands81


    Been heard a few more times in the last week. The wife has heard them early morning as well.


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    #21
    fred funk }{
    Registered Users Posts: 6,827 ✭✭✭fred funk }{


    Heard several of them in Druids Glen golf club today. Looked up and saw a small bird, not sure if it was it or not but it was my first time hearing one.


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    #22
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,473 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    The black and red ones are about the size of a blackbird, the green ones are about the size of a collared dove. Their call is very distinctive, too, but it couldn't be called pretty.


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    #23
    gzoladz
    Registered Users Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭gzoladz


    We Don get green ones here though...the gsw has an ondulating flight which is very distinctive.


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    #24
    bobbysands81
    Registered Users Posts: 7,200 ✭✭✭bobbysands81


    Heard one again this morning, didn’t this was the right time of year but 100% heard it rattle a few times.


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    #25
    axe2grind
    Registered Users Posts: 577 ✭✭✭axe2grind


    Juvenile in garden in Wicklow Sept 2005 perhaps locally bred?

    2005 rare bird report


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    #26
    fred funk }{
    Registered Users Posts: 6,827 ✭✭✭fred funk }{


    Saw one in Courtown Golf club about a month ago.


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    #27
    amadangomor
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭amadangomor


    gzoladz wrote: »
    Ahhh I didn't know that, and it is an interesting piece of the puzzle. I thought they just happened to cross and it started from there. I was not aware they were not widespread in the UK until a few decades aso.

    We went from a country with 80% forest cover to 1% so their habitat was destroyed. We are back up to 11% now so there is obviously enough suitable habitat to sustain a population now.

    https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/forestry/advice/general-topics/history-of-forestry-in-ireland/


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