Hello everyone,
I've just joined because I've discovered the bird in my garden last year was a very rare sight to see in the UK so I'm so excited and need to tell others. It was a Pileated woodpecker. The bird landed on my blue tits nesting box, one foot on either side and was putting his head in and out trying to get the baby birds which were in there. He was massive, absolutely beautiful and had the biggest bright red mohican on his head which was at least 2 inches high from his head, if not more.
I stood for a few moments with my mouth gaping open as I thought it must be an escaped parrot at first !! I get the normal woodpeckers in my garden the black spotted, I think they're called with the red circle on their head but this one I'd say was massive in comparison. Now that I know this was a rare sight, I wish I had watched for longer or grabbed my phone to take a picture, but I was so upset at it trying to steal the babies that I ran out and chased it away.. .
I feel very privileged to have saw one as I'm new to the bird world and only began feeding them in my garden 2 years ago. Since this bird is native to the US, does anyone know why it might have been in Scotland?
Look forward to your replies
I've just joined because I've discovered the bird in my garden last year was a very rare sight to see in the UK so I'm so excited and need to tell others. It was a Pileated woodpecker. The bird landed on my blue tits nesting box, one foot on either side and was putting his head in and out trying to get the baby birds which were in there. He was massive, absolutely beautiful and had the biggest bright red mohican on his head which was at least 2 inches high from his head, if not more.
I stood for a few moments with my mouth gaping open as I thought it must be an escaped parrot at first !! I get the normal woodpeckers in my garden the black spotted, I think they're called with the red circle on their head but this one I'd say was massive in comparison. Now that I know this was a rare sight, I wish I had watched for longer or grabbed my phone to take a picture, but I was so upset at it trying to steal the babies that I ran out and chased it away.. .
I feel very privileged to have saw one as I'm new to the bird world and only began feeding them in my garden 2 years ago. Since this bird is native to the US, does anyone know why it might have been in Scotland?
Look forward to your replies