I first saw the woodpecker splitting and eating a nut on the garden post and photographed it through a telephoto lens from the back bedroom window. The bird is a great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major. It is a medium-sized woodpecker with pied black and white plumage. As can be seen in this photo and on the other photos on this page, it has big white shoulder patches, extensive red on vent, and black crown. The male great spotted woodpeckers have a red nape patch and the juveniles of both sexes have a red cap.
 
  The Great spotted woodpecker's primary food is wood-boring insects, larvae, spider, seeds and nuts. In gardens, it can be attracted by hanging up attractive bird feed for them such as peanuts in mesh hanging bird feeders, suet blocks and suet balls in cages. Other garden accessories to attrach birds to the garden include a bird bath and bird tables.
 

The woodpecker is splitting a nut on the fence post.
 

The woodpecker is now looking back to see if there are any more nuts.
 

(c) Written and Photographed by B V & T M Wood.   All rights reserved.   Disclaimer