If you can't beat them...

By Jerra

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

Anyone who knows me well will have realised a long time ago it is difficult to get me away from birds.  Pottering round the home and garden not doing very much meant that yet again I was watching and photographing birds.

Currently we have a lot of visits from GSWs as we call them.  The interesting observation from my point of view is it is always the male or a juvenile.  The first thought the female may be brooding but GSW only have one brood per year so that isn't the reason.

The parents are very nervous flying off at the first sign of movement inside the house.  The juveniles obviously haven't learned to be so careful as they stay while we move about.  I often wonder if we see the same birds year on year, which is (short term) possible as the oldest recorded GSW was 11 years 5 months and 2 days (between being rung and found).

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