In the 15th of a series of articles featuring wildlife images from Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats, Diane Dalli presents her shots of a Green Woodpecker
During a walk on Wanstead Flats, I was stopped in my tracks when I noticed some movement in the long grass. I had heard the laughing yaffle call of the Green Woodpecker several times that morning, and here it was, right in front of me!
It stuck its long beak into the soft mud searching for some tasty insects or caterpillars, then hopped up onto a small mound where it stretched its neck up and looked around. I was able to stand some way off as I had a long lens on my camera and took a few shots before it flew off with its characteristic undulating flight.
The Green Woodpecker is a very colourful bird with a green and yellow body and a red crown. The female has a black moustache marking but this is red on the male. Despite its vivid colours, it can be difficult to spot, especially when it lands in a tree. It uses its stiff tail feathers to support it as it climbs up the trunk in a series of hops, blending in with the foliage or lichen on the trees. However, it does generally feed on the ground in grassy areas, using its strong beak and long sticky tongue to help it find the insects it feeds on.
Woodpeckers are usually quite solitary birds, but as spring arrives, they look to pair up and build a nest. The male excavates the nest hole quite high from the ground and prefers the softer decaying wood of a mature tree, especially oak or ash. Four to six eggs are laid, which hatch after about three weeks. Both parents take turns at incubation, and when the eggs hatch, they also take turns feeding the young in the nest.
The Green Woodpecker is just one of the many species of birds that can be seen on the Flats, but it is one of the most appealing and always delightful to see, hear and photograph.
To view more of Diane’s wildlife photos, visit wnstd.com/dalli
