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The culprit is discovered!!
Jonesk
Posts: 205
This is my 'woodland' area that I'm creating in my garden. It had been previously over run with grass, weeds, Japanese anemone and Lilly of the Valley. It was one of the last areas that I cleared last year and still working on planting it up. I dragged these beautiful old stumps from where they had been abandoned behind the garage!
I began to notice some damage to them - at first I thought maybe it was a hedgehog scratching for food but I saw a great spotted woodpecker pecking away this morning (The things you see when your not at work!!!) On closer inspection you can see the drill holes he's made.
Why do woodpeckers do this? Is he really finding that much food in my old stumps or is it behavioural?
0
Posts
Three main reason - drumming to make a noise to mark out territory for the breeding season, drilling to make a hole to nest and tapping to forage for insects for food.
Thanks Obelixx - Sounds like he's marking his territory. We do see them about in the area fairly regularly and saw some young not last year but the year before.
He often pecks about in my pear tree and in the dead Oak tree in the field just next to us. Lovey to see someone making use of the new mini habitat!!!