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.
Linking to Saturday's Critters, and Wild Bird Wednesday If you would like to check them out, click on the icons on the right sidebar. You won't be disappointed to see birds, and many different creatures from around the world. You too can join in by posting a pet, or any creature you like on Eileen's blog. "Saturday's Critters", or a bird on Stewarts blog.
22 comments:
What a special sighting! You have so many different and unique birds down there, see those would be worth the trip alone!
Dear Sonjia,
What a wonderful series of photos of the great spotted woodpecker feeding her young.
I think birds are very devoted parents.
I enjoyed your photos.
Best regards Irma
Dear Sonjia:)
You have taken great photos of the woodpeckers, and it is fun to see them being fed.
I have also taken a photo of this once. It is always so nice to see the care they show for their baby birds.
Many hugs are sent to you dear friend.
Marit
That's amazing. I've never seen woodpeckers feeding their chicks before.
wow Some really precious pictures! Being a mom carries a lot of responsibilities, even in the animal world.
Awwww...what glorious captures of these sweet and beautiful birds. In a couple of your photos it looks as if the bird 🐦 was posing for you 😀
What a touching story. It's so special that you got to witness such a close bond between the mother and her chick, especially after the loss of the other one. Thanks for sharing this glimpse into their lives.
It seems that you love woodpeckers very much....very cute pictures. Thanks for your kind visit to my blog.
Have a good time
Violetta
Aww this series of photographs was a joy to see.
Thank you.
All the best Jan
such a treat to watch and follow...your images are really beautiful. lucky you!!
These photos are special! Love them. It is sad about the other chick! Survival of the fittest for sure.
It’s very sad to hear of the demise of the young woodpecker, Sonjia, but there is a side to nature that we often don’t see, and perhaps that’s a good thing! The other youngster is doing well, however, and it’s terrific that you are able to witness the goings-on. I am quite sure they consider you the human part of their clan! Stay out of the dreadful heat if you can. Here we are also dealing with dreadful smoke and poor air quality from the forest fires burning up half the country. Such is the nature of life in the Anthropocene. Hugs and kisses - David
Dear Sonjia, so sad about the little chick. Your photos were wonderful! Lovely to see the mama bird taking such good care of the other sweet little bird.
These photos are exquisite. And look at that sweet chick with his downy markings. They must trust you. And you probably have a really good lens. But being in the right place at the right time is everything!
What wonderful pictures Sonjia. I used to worry about getting my pictures perfectly sharp and well lit, but it has taken me a long time to realise that the important thing is what the picture captures and not the photographic quality. Your pictures tell a lovely story and perfectly capture the hard work of the mother bird to provide for its son. Such a shame about female chick. Nature can be so cruel. I suppose that any adult bird only needs two of its chicks to survive to have their own chicks to keep a stable population. The parent birds seem to work so hard to provide for their chicks and it seems so sad when they lose their young.
Wow, these photos are absolutely incredible, especially considering the conditions you had to work with. You can really feel the love and dedication of the mother woodpecker in every single shot. It's so touching to see her feeding her chick with such care and tenderness.
Un precioso reportaje, me gustó mucho. Besos.
Que lindas fotos muito fofinhos os filhotes,passando pra desejar um ótimo domingo bjs.
wow! Wonderful series of photos of the beautiful wood peckers ~
thanks, hugs ~ an artist reflects
Hello Sonjia,
What a wonderful collection of Woodpecker photos.
It is sweet to see the adult feeding her chick. The Mama took good care of her baby. I am sad the one chick did not survive.
Your Great Spotted Woodpeckers are a treat to see.
Thank you for linking up and sharing your critters and post. Take care, have a great week ahead.
What beautiful photos! You really captured the essence of the mother and her chick.
You got so many really great photos. Love when they are posing together. I love woodpeckers...they have so much personality!
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