Monday 28 November 2011

Green Woodpecker

I was walking in the woods going to collect some fallen Hawthorn and Maple which I'd spotted earlier. As I approached a huge recently fallen Oak with a big hollowed out base I saw a green woodpecker flutter around the base. It didn't fly away, and as I crept closer I realised it something wasn't right, as I went round the back it went round the other side and eventually down inside and hid down in a root cavity. I took my fleece off and laid it on the ground and gently reached in and cupped my hand round him and lifted him out (dunno if it was a him, it just seems right!) I wrapped him up in the fleece, warm dark and cosy.
I'm aware that well meaning amateurs can do more harm than good, so I phoned my wife and asked her to phone the RSPCA for advice and to ring back.
They said that if I could pick it up, it probably wouldn't survive anyway, but if we took it to a vet' they treat wild animals free of charge.

Once home we put him in a box, the pic shows what a handsome fellow he is.
I drove him up to the vets where they said they'd phone one of their bird specialists to come and collect him later. I was tempted to give my phone number so I could follow up and see how he did, but decided against it.
It was a good day for wildlife as I spotted a kingfisher by the brook on the way back too. Here's a pic of the logs I collected, the big one is the Maple. I used my wheeled dolly to drag it out of the woods.

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