It would appear that we have a preoccupation with deer at the
moment, but how not, when four very healthy looking
individuals appear in the garden as you are making a morning coffee. We usually see three, but occasionally this handsome male joins them. Despite being a bit smaller than the largest female, his
growing antlers give him added stature, and there is no doubt about who is boss.
We can’t be certain if it’s because they are hungry due to the snow, but they have become so used to Aurora filming them that opening windows and doors no longer bothers them, and they come right down onto the decking to pose for her.
While we watch them, we can hear a green woodpecker calling with it’s characteristic whooping, almost yodeling call – he’s loud and probably trying to get a mate at this time. We saw him several times last year. They like ants and he would come to feed at the base of our sycamore where there is a whole colony of them.
We always have regular visits from the more common woodpeckers (Flaggspett in Norwegian)- they like the peanut feeder, and are also expert at lifting of the lid of the glass jar we put sunflower seeds in for the squirrels. When they have young – usually a couple of chicks, there is a lot of activity with Mum and Dad flying back and forth to the nest. When the youngsters are old enough, they fly up from the valley and hang around the feeder, waiting for mouthfuls from their hard working parents.
Finally, we are interested to know if any of you have had visits from a green woodpecker, perhaps to your feeding station, never happened for us yet.
borealita.com 