ADULT FEMALE GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER AND JUNIOR.

The Great Spotted Woodpecker raised two chicks but one didn't make it. One day a female chick came with her mother but it was plain to see she had been injured, perhaps in a fight with a larger bird, but she was in a sorry state. She had lost one eye and the socket looked infected, she had also lost a claw and had several angry looking wounds on her body. That was the first and last time I saw her, but the other chick a male, although dirty, looked healthy, and accompanied it's mother everywhere, and to my delight came to my balcony often to eat the cake crumbs. Although the adult fed from the top of the wooden box, in true woodpecker style the youngster made a hole in the bottom corner of the box and ate from there. which meant that lots of fine cake crumbs fell to the ground, but the robin made short work of them. I wish these captures could have been better images but the railings and the wrought iron gate over my window impeded my endeavors and the the head movements didn't help either. All photos were taken early morning in deep shade, so had to be lightened for me to share them but many are still dark.

These are the only photos I managed to take of the adult female and the male chick  together in a tree.

Here you can see the the mother feeding her chick.

Again you can see the chick being fed. 

At this early stage of the chick's development, the adult female fed it regularly.

The female Great Spotted Woodpecker was such a devoted parent, she tirelessly fed her chick although at times she looked exhausted.

All the mother's attention was focused on feeding the young chick with great care and tenderness.

I felt privileged to witness these precious moments.

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