Pecker under Attack

Sue & I went for a walk at Cromwell Bottom this morning to top up the feeders. Whilst we were walking back on Brookfoot loop we heard a real commotion coming from the wet-willow scrub. We at first thought a mammal had been caught by a predator but as we stood and watched a Green Woodpecker shot out of the willows with a female Sparrowhawk close on its tail. The pecker made a clean getaway as I think the hawk spotted Sue and I and veered away. I had no idea Sparrowhawks would attack Green Woodpeckers, but the pecker obviously knew what it was happening and didn't hang about to become breakfast ! We heard the pecker calling nearby as we walked back past the spot with Les Midgley 20 mins later, so it obviously got clean away.

Not much around this morning but views we had of various Bullfinch groups we spotted made up for the lack of much else. Feeders are now getting a lot more activity as the birds have got used to them.