Shropshire Birding

[GaryS]

Can anyone recommend easily accessible birding sites in Shropshire? I would really love to see a woodpecker (any species) - any advice of location where I have a reasonable chance of seeing one is particularly welcome.

Cheers

[AndyC]

Gary

Try Venus Pools

http://www.shropshirebirds.com/venuspool.htm

Excellent sight. I've been several times and seen at least two GS Woodpeckers each occassion - they like the peanut feeders.

Also this thread:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=10841&highlight=venus+pools

AndyC

[Ruby]

Hi Gary,

Now that the leaves are on the trees, it may be a little more tricky to see Woodpeckers...

Something to help you is to learn the calls - both Green and Greater Spotted Woodpeckers have quite distinctive calls (and you may hear GSW drumming) which would at least give you some idea of where to start looking.

Green Woodpeckers are often seen down on grassy fields, grubbing for ants etc - so parks, playing fields and golf courses can also be good.....

Much more likely to see these two species than Lesser Spotted, which is now increasingly hard to find (in my experience!!)


Good luck..... Ruby

[GaryS]

Many thanks Andy and Ruby for your helpful replies.

I will check out Venus Pool this coming weekend. Andy the thread you mentioned was very helpful. Ruby you have reminded me that I am supposed to be learning bird song - I must confessI find this very difficult.

Hope to be able to report back with some good news. I guess I'll have to treat myself to a long awaited scope-the big 5 - 0 is looming very soon so I have a good excuse!

Best wishes and thanks again.

[Ruby]

You're welcome Gary.

As rgds learning bird song and calls... One thing that helps me is just to concentrate on a few at a time - that way you gradually build up a portfolio of birds that you can id by call. It's very confusing (not to mention intimidating!!) to try to learn lots of different calls that all sound much the same...

The good thing about the common Woodpeckers calls is that they are among the easier ones to learn (hopefully)

Not sure if you know, but Birdforum has a database of bird calls - under the 'resources' heading at the top of the page.... You would probably be able to find other sites if you googled on bird calls....



Rgds... Ruby