May
11th, 1999
One
of the interesting features of the grounds at Ackworth is
the presence of two resident species of woodpecker, the
green woodpecker and the greater spotted woodpecker.
The drumming sound
created by the greater spotted woodpecker is common
during April and its call, a single 'chack', can be heard
at all times of year. This species can sometimes be seen
feeding newly fledged chicks during the summer months.
Also, I have often watched it attacking some of the
nesting boxes which members of the Natural History
Society have placed around the grounds. The woodpecker
usually enlarges the entrance hole or, in the case of bat boxes, which have an entrance slot in the base,
it makes a hole where there was not one before. The boxes
which have been constructed most recently have been given
metal plates around the entrance holes to make it more
difficult for the woodpeckers to break in and steal the
youngsters. However, some woodpeckers have found that
they can hammer through the bases or sides of the boxes.
The green
woodpecker is present in smaller numbers but is often
seen and heard. The adults make a loud, laughing call,
known as the 'yaffle', and this is often heard coming
from the vicinity of the sports hall. During the summer
months, the yelping sound of young green woodpeckers
becomes very familiar but the young birds can be
surprisingly difficult to spot, even when it is obvious
that they are calling from a particular tree. The
favourite nesting site is in a large ash which grows
behind the sports hall and this tree now has several
holes in it. Another tree which has been used is an
isolated oak tree which grows in the middle of a field
near the swimming pool. this tree was used for a
successful breeding attempt about three years ago. The
young woodpeckers could be seen hopping around on the
trunk of the tree and doing the usual green woodpecker
trick of moving behind the trunk and peeping around it
when they realised that they were being observed. Signs
of the wear caused by their claws can be seen giving a
reddish tinge to the bark in the photograph.
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