Great Spotted Woodpecker nest

On my camping holiday in Penwith, at the Lower Treave campsite, I had the good luck to pitch my tent under a Great Spotted Woodpecker nest. The twitters from the chicks and the calls of the adults became the soundtrack of the week. The adults brought a constant stream of food, and I often saw them foraging on the ground, in the grass around the campsite. which is managed really sympathetically to encourage wildlife. As the week progressed the chicks became bolder and started to look out of the nest hole.

 This is an adult emerging from the nest

 Mr and Mrs. The faint red upper-breast marking on the left hand bird suggest this is the male.

 A rather muddy beak, full of grubs

 The juveniles have a red crown

 Very faint red upper breast markings suggest this is the male

Overall an enthralling experience and a real privilege to witness. I am sure the electricity board will probably want to replace the pole, but hopefully not until the chicks have fledged