The Peckham Pecker

Green Woodpecker ‘Picus viridis’

UK Conservation Status: Green

UK Breeding: 52.000 pairs

Location: Peckham Rye Park 

Date: 15/7/2018

When I first bought my camera and decided my love for nature could be combined with photography; Birds were my first port of call. 
With a fascination for woodpeckers but limited knowledge on how to find them rather than stumble across them I did a bit of homework and off I went, many days and early evenings in search of these interesting birds.

I followed the sounds of nest building in early spring, the drumming you often hear as a way of communicating and this was great, I kept finding great spotted woodpeckers but was never able to get a shot for various reasons, I researched further and found that my main target the green woodpecker rarely drums to communicate and when nest building they have weaker bills so chisel into softer wood. I studied their call which if I remember rightly was described as a Yaffle? - loud laughing call. I heard it the following day!

I returned home from work at 4.30pm on a lovely July afternoon and I had a rare opportunity to head out and put all my focus on finding my target.

I grabbed my camera, changed into a pair of shorts & a tee and headed to the off licence for supplies.
I don’t go anywhere without my earphones but as every Birder knows the sense you need to have a successful day is your hearing. 

I put on Paul Simon’s Graceland until I reached the park gate and removed them, camera over shoulder and headed into the park.

After a couple of hours of searching I was starting to think it wouldn’t happen so I sat down for a warm beer and planned my next move which would be my biggest of all my birding obsessions: finding a little Owl in Peckham! 

I took a wander back to the nature garden area but the gates were locked this time but I thought I’d just sit by the gate and look in, Green woodpeckers spend a lot of time hunting their food on grass and with the area being quiet and a known location of the Male I thought I’d try my luck.

I was there 2 minutes. Tits flying overhead, wood pigeons feeding by the little pond, a robin above me singing its heart out and magpies bombing something in the large oak. 

Then he landed, he looked around in my direction and I burst about 8 shots in a moment of panic, all blurry!

I composed myself whilst remaining silent and took one single shot and left it to feed in peace on ants.

I was shaking with excitement, clicked the WiFi button on my camera and put the picture straight on my Instagram. 


Did you know? They have a 10cm tongue which considering their size is very impressive and it has to curl around its skull to fit in its mouth. Their tongue is extremely sticky due to secretions from their enlarged salivary glands. With a diet that consists mainly of ants you can see why they have this adaptation.

Check back tomorrow for a bird of prey post.

Bob Horsefield (peckhambirdman)