The weather was forecast to be sunny, though it would start off cold, making it an ideal opportunity to try for a lesser spotted woodpecker at RSPB Middleton Lakes, where sightings had been reported throughout the week. Kev @kev07713 and I debated whether to visit for the bird first or grab breakfast, but in the end, we decided to eat on the way and arrived in the car park around 7.30am. A dozen or so birders were already gathered and we joined them, waiting for and hoping the woodpecker would visit one of its favourite trees.
The lesser spotted woodpecker is the smallest (about the size of a sparrow) and least common of the three woodpecker species resident in Britain. Over recent decades, its population has experienced significant declines. The BTO reports an 81% decrease in breeding pairs between 1997 and 2022, with current estimates around 600 pairs while The Woodland Trust estimates a decline of 83% since 1970, suggesting no more than 2,000 pairs remain. This decline has led to the species being classified as 'Red' under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021). Several factors contribute to this decline, including the loss of ancient and mature woodland, removal of dead and rotting wood, and potential competition from the increasing great spotted woodpecker population.
This species typically has black and white plumage with distinctive horizontal barring on the back - males have a bright red crown, while females have a black-and-white head without red. The undersides are pale white or buff-coloured with faint streaks. It is a shy and elusive bird, often hard to spot as it moves among tree branches, feeding on insects, spiders, and larvae, pecking at dead wood to extract food. They are often high in the canopy, making it hard to locate the bird.
Drumming is one of the key signals, fast and high-pitched compared to other woodpeckers - typically in short bursts, consisting of up to 15–20 strikes. It is heard mainly in early spring (March–April), when males and females drum to establish territories and attract mates. Unlike in many woodpecker species where only males drum, both male and female do, the females in slightly shorter bursts, often lasting less than a second - softer and quieter, making it harder to detect in dense woodland.
We continued to wait, listening to the drumming of a great spotted woodpecker. After about 30 minutes, we finally heard the distinctive drumming of a lesser spotted woodpecker. Excitement grew as everyone scanned the trees, and sure enough, a few birders near the favoured tree spotted it as it dropped in. We gathered around them, but it wasn’t until the bird relocated to the next tree that I caught my first, albeit brief, glimpse.
As it moved into better view, we watched closely, following it as it relocated again to a tree further to the right. It was showing well, and the views through the scope were excellent. However, given the bird’s tiny size, the distance, the early morning light (now around 8:00 AM), and its position high in the tree, capturing frame filling photos was not possible. Fortunately, Kev managed to record the moment on video - videos here.
Some birders were having trouble spotting it, so I helped direct them to its location and set up my scope to give a few birders standing beside me a closer view.
A second lesser spotted drummed off to our right but we concentrated on the first bird until it departed over and behind, eventually disappearing from view. We took this as our prompt to pack up and make for another site to add to our year list and catch up with a few more nice birds.
On the way we stopped for willow tit as they are a bird that we are unlikely to come across just by chance - they've faced serious population declines in the UK. We had to wait for about half an hour, but we were graced by a single individual coming down to feed. The best way to identify them is hearing their harsh "tchay-tchay" call, but ours didn't make a sound. We watched a second visit as it then flew off and into some scrub - it was easy to watch but the view was interrupted by twigs. From time-to-time coal tits would pass through, raising our attention - they are lovely to see but not what we were waiting for.
We then headed to Carsington Water, where a red-throated diver, great northern diver, scaup, and a female ring-necked duck had all been reported. Upon arrival, we met up with our friends Adrian, Bryan, and Mark, who had also chosen the same location. Together, we thoroughly scanned the water, hoping to spot some of our target birds.
First up was the red-throated diver, far across on the opposite bank. It dived frequently, making it easy to lose track of as it resurfaced a considerable distance away. However, through the scopes, we all managed to get a good look at it.
Kev and I had already managed to see the great northern diver but soon we were all on it when Mark called it out in front of us. We snapped off some photos but at distance they wouldn't be anything but record shots - at one point the bird surfaced with a fish it had caught. It would be nice to get closer to some of these birds this year as all my diver sightings have been distant - there is time and hopefully I can get some better views.
Two down, and two to go. We continued scanning the water along the main reservoir promenade, but after a while, Adrian, Bryan, and Mark decided to take a break at the cafĂ©. Kev and I skipped that and headed further around the back to check the water beyond, covering a few hundred meters, but found nothing. We made another sweep of the main reservoir, but the ducks were nowhere to be seen. In the following days, there were no further reports of them - they must have moved on overnight on Friday. Oh well, we’ll have to try for them elsewhere!
Year list: 128.
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