Woodpecker Chicks (Big Bro and Titch).

Brilliant photos Alan.

Thanks Treetop.

Fantastic blog, pictures and humor going on my favourites now ;0))

Thanks ever so much Carole. Made my day that you like it.

Smashing photos Alanb, you are lucky to have such interesting birds in your garden,

Stunning photos Alanb

Thanks Snoopdog, Siris and Denise, thoroughly enjoyed the last two weeks watching and photographing the woodpeckers. Glad you liked the blog.

Brilliant photo's Alan, we had one in our garden a few years ago but haven't seen him since, it's a brilliant blog...

love the photos :-) you can see through the photos your enthusiasm which is a joy :-) your attention to detail unique and showing the affectionate nature of these birds
(in feeding) i find very refreshing these birds look very contented and at peace in your garden :-)
thank you very much :-)

You've witnessed something special Alan - something that some of us will never see in a lifetime. Amazing. A real big thank you for taking the time and sharing them with us.

Wonderful photo's so lucky to see that going on in your garden .

Great photographs and love the humorous storyline.

I love this blog too,Alan,and your photo's are fabulous..as are your captions,to tell the story..It's on my favourites too..thank you for posting this.I would never have seen anything like this otherwise..:o)

Just wonderful to see, Alan. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience; we are privileged. As Scottish says, many of us will never see something like this for ourselves. Your commentary makes the blog all the more fun too - going into my favourites now.

Love these, especially the baby's little red hat!

Thank you all for your very kind comments. This is the first year we have witnessed this. Wendy and I realise how lucky we are being able to watch this, for several days on the run. Just to give you an update. The chicks are now self sufficient and look after themselves. I think we will see them one at a time now, for a few more days and then after that, who knows. I am so glad to have been able to photograph events and share them with you. "Happy Gardening" and looking forward to seeing your photos and reading your blogs.

What antics ! Wonderful :o))

Thanks Hywel.

Oh yes I do agree, the photo's are fabulous and your storytelling adds that special touch, very amusing Alan, its gone in my favs as well, its grand having a family like that to watch...Thankyou Alan...

Thanks Sue, glad you enjoyed it. It's been great fun taking the photos and writing the blog.

Lovely blog Alan. Great to watch young birds prospering under dad's careful watch. I wish the blackbirds in our garden were as careful or able to defend young. We don't see woodpeckers, but we do see magpies often and very predatory on the blackbirds.

Brilliant blog. Loved it!

Thank you Dorjac and Digginfit, glad you both enjoyed it.

<]:-))

Great pics Alan. who needs television with entertainment just outside in the garden. I'm so envious:-)

Thanks Bornagain. I quite agree, like any event, much better live, than on the TV.

We've just had a rain storm here ... I would prefer it on tv:-)

Great pics, don't know how you got them - the ones on my balcony fly off at the slightest movement from me inside and I never manage to catch them. Two were having a scuffle on the balcony railings at one point here.

Beautiful beautiful birds how clever to capture them on camera, thanks for the pictures really lovely :O)

Thanks Bamboo and Oliveoil.

Our kitchen window is about 4 metres from the feeder, initially the woodpeckers would disappear at the site of any movement. I found if I left my camera ready to use on the kitchen worktop, I could take some photos without disturbing them. Glad you enjoyed the blog.

Wow!! Wonderful pics. You should really show these on
'I SPY A BIRD' They would really be appreciated, as I really do. You have both made yourselves a wonderful haven for these lovely visitors. Good on you both. We always reap our rewards on doing so. This is the first
pics I have looked at so far of yours, which I viewed with my jaws open as they are amazing.

Well done to the both of you.

Thank you Freesia. Glad you liked them. When I get a little more time I will have a look at the 'I SPY A BIRD SITE'.

Wonderful pics Alan, the best I have ever seen of this lovely bird; for several years we had them as regular visitors to our bird-feeder, I tried to take some good pictures, without much luck, as at the slightest movement, or twitch of a curtain, off they flew!
I did you use a long lens, hiding in the bushes?

David

Thanks for your kind comments David. The feeder is about 4 metres from the kitchen window. My wife has a new digital camera with a good zoom. So when I originally saw the parents coming 30 or 40 times a day, we were hoping that the chicks would come and feed. The rest is history. The chicks are used to movement in the kitchen and are still happily feeding each day as we carry on as normal. It's just fabulous, I know we are really lucky. I must have taken 200 - 300 photos in total, these were just the best. I am hoping to pick three of them and send them off, to see if I can get one of the photos in the Countryfile 2015 calendar.

Thanks Alan, when I looked through the pics again today, my first thought was, they are so good, they
should be be on the Countryfile calendar; I'm glad you you will submit some for this competition. You have so many good pics, you will have a problem chosing one to send!
Good luck
David

Thanks David. Apologies for the delay in replying, I have been at the OPEN golf at Hoylake, for a few days.

Wonderful photos Alan :o)

Oh wow! What beautiful images

Thank you Annie and Wendy.

Wow!!!! Are they on the tame side now? I never see them locally ...just hear them.......3 -4 times in 20 yrs....

Yep, they all visit us everyday, taking it in turns on the nut feeder. They don't even fly off when I tap on the window to chase the pigeons... amazing really.

Well done you ! What a treat to see them feeding babies !
We get them feeding with us in The New Forest and I never get tired of watching them ..
Great pics ..look forward to more in spring !!

Thanks Heucheraholic ... sorry I've only just noticed your reply. Parents and one chick came this year. One at a time though, nothing as fabulous as last year to photograph unfortunately. They still come and feed regularly each day, it's a delight to watch.