How Green Is Your Woodpecker?

The birding gods are smiling on me this week.

I have just been back blipping the last couple of days visits to Frampton Marshes and Newport Wetlands, which gave me some stunning photo opportunities. There was another one this morning from my own back garden.

I went out to refill my feeders at breakfast time when I could hear a bird singing away. It was sat on top of the old dead oak tree just beyond out hedgerow. I stuck the scope on it, and I could see it was a male Song Thrush giving a full virtuoso performance. A wonderful way to start the day. Whilst I was watching, this Green Woodpecker landed next to it. Luckily (and for once) the camera was too hand, with a memory card and the 500mm lens on it! I rattled off four shots and one of them was in focus!

We have also had a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden this morning, but as of yet it hasn't returned.

All three of these birds fill me with joy. It is the first Song Thrush I have seen in for months around here. The Green Woodpecker sighting a couple of weeks back wasn't a fluke, and the Great Spotted's have managed to bring up a brood in all this bad weather!

I still haven't done my U blip for this weeks AlphaPonty challenge, I hope nothing spectacular turns up in the garden tomorrow, I am running out of days!