Woodpecker cartoons

The work of Finnish cartoonist Seppo Leinonen simply but wonderfully highlights many issues concerning forests, woodpeckers and the overall environment. Check it out here:
http://www.seppo.net/e/

The Woodpecker Year - 2015

It has been a great year for me in my quest to observe, hear, photograph, sound record, and generally learn more about woodpeckers. And many thanks to everyone who contributed to this blog (Gerard Gorman). To end the year, here is a Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius from the woods in the Buda Hills, just 10 minutes from where I am writing this.

Black Woodpecker

Adult female Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius. Photo taken in Austria, by Thomas Hochebner.

White-backed Woodpecker - nominate race

Following on from the last post, of a lilfordi race White-backed Woodpecker, here is the nominate Dendrocopos leucotos leucotos. An adult male, Bükk Hills, Hungary (Gerard Gorman).

White-backed (Lilford's) Woodpecker

Adult male White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, race lilfordi (sometimes called Lilford's Woodpecker). Irati Forest, Navarra, Spain, September 2015 (Gerard Gorman).

Gallery: Eurasian Wryneck

Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla. Paklenica, Croatia, June 2015 (Gerard Gorman).

Middle Spotted Woodpecker: sexes ?

Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius, Estonia, Gerard Gorman. The sexes are almost identical and often impossible to visually tell apart. The main difference in plumage is in the crown: both sexes have red crowns, but on females the rear crown is usually dull red, orange or yellow, on males it is red.