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white-backed woodpecker (1 Viewer)

Steve Babbs

Well-known member
I get the impression that the Foret d'Isseaux , in Southern France, site for white-backed woodpecker, mentioned in Gosney has not produced them in recent years. Are there any other sites in that area that anyone knows about?

Steve
 
Steve Babbs said:
I get the impression that the Foret d'Isseaux , in Southern France, site for white-backed woodpecker, mentioned in Gosney has not produced them in recent years. Are there any other sites in that area that anyone knows about?

Steve

I saw one last year in the Foret d'Isseaux and this year I heard one but failed to see it, very difficult bird.

Belagua on the Spanish side reputedly has them but I have never seen or heard them in this impressive Beech forest.

Good luck if you try for them

Jules
 
I got brilliant views of a pair in the Cirque de Lescun in 2002. The only time I've had a sniff of the species, and I've done a lot of walking in the Pyrenees....
 
Does anyone have any recent info on the White-backed Woodpeckers in Forêt d'Iraty? I hope to make a visit in July 2008 and I'd be really grateful for any information?

Thanks!

Nick
 
I have spent 3 years looking for the little b*****s in the Pyrenees. Including Foret Iraty - where through a mix up I forgot the CD to lure them out.

There is a 'known' site near Luz st Sauveur which I count as my work in progress.

That said I consider the Foret Iraty to be the most likely place. I have other birders notes - most of which point to success there. Some birders passed this week with tapes but failed to connect.
 
Thanks! I guess I will give Foret d'Iraty a try. Where is Luz st Sauveur? (sorry my French geography is terrible.. too long on the other side of the world!).

I dont suppose you had a copy of the call you'd be happy to email me? (as an .mp3?) I'd happily swap it for a call of Javan Cochoa or Sumatran Ground-cuckoo?! :)

Nick
 
Nick have sent a message to you.

Luz St Sauveur is about 3 hours from Foret Iraty.
20 mins from Lourdes.

We have all of the Pyrenees specialities - notwithstanding not seeing the above yet.

12 Citril Finch yesterday. 2 Lammergeier. 1 Snow Finch.
 
There's some superb habitat in the western pyrenees for WBs, it's worth checking out any good looking high altitude beech forest imo. They undoubtedly thin out as you go east, which is perhaps why rosbifs is struggling. I have heard of a site as far across as Luchon, however.

I eventually scored after giving up on established sites and walking a long (several days) route through forest that I figured must hold the species from eyeballing the map. I think most brit birders don't get to give it enough of a lash to see them, and concentrate too much on relatively poor sites like Forêt d'Isseaux (I've dipped there repeatedly as have most people I know) which are repeated in trip reports rather then using their own eyes and looking for good habitat.
 
I have spent 3 years looking for the little b*****s in the Pyrenees. Including Foret Iraty - where through a mix up I forgot the CD to lure them out.
QUOTE]

Please don't take this as a personal attack - it isn't meant to be, but I'm concerned about advocationg luring a bird in in these circumstances. I admit I've used a CD/MP3 player to persuade birds to come closer at non-specific sites (i.e. where it's unlikely that anyone else will turn up to do so), but should we be advocating doing so for such a rare species with such limited distribution? Who knows how many birders might be targetting the same site (and most WBWs are well know locations) over the season? OK it probably won't do much harm but should we really take the risk? And would we behave in a similar situation in the UK without risking a heavy fine?

John
 
Phil
I have pretty much used your method and 'patrol' areas with suitable habitat. Iraty is too far and I'm not good enough at getting out of bed - I didn't 'lure' there but went to check out the habitat to give me an idea of what to find closer to home. I then drew a line across the map and compared altitudes, slope facing etc. to find my best bet local area. Unfortunately, the science hasn't paid off but I have seen all the other Woodpekers on my travels.
I've probably missed my chance of a 'natural' sighting this year so might go back to some taping...
John
Comments taken on board. Perhaps Iraty birds have got bored of talking to mp3 players...
 
Thanks for taking my carping comments with such good humour, Phil. I heard W-B Woodpecker in the Pyrennes a few years back, but never saw them - had MP-3 technology been available I'm sure I'd have been seriously tempted!

I caught up with the species in Czechoslovakia a few years later. I tramped for miles through woodlands without success. Having humoured me, my family insisted on 'doing their own thing' so took themselves off to the 'Green Frog' thermal baths with me unwillingly tagging along. Naturally, I found W-backed Woodpecker virtually in the grounds of the hot springs within a couple of minutes of arriving. They've never let me forget it!
John
 
I have spent 3 years looking for the little b*****s in the Pyrenees. Including Foret Iraty - where through a mix up I forgot the CD to lure them out.

There is a 'known' site near Luz st Sauveur which I count as my work in progress.

That said I consider the Foret Iraty to be the most likely place. I have other birders notes - most of which point to success there. Some birders passed this week with tapes but failed to connect.

Bonjour, Rosbifs, I hope this thread might still be active. We stay near Luz every September - how is the work in progress? Two years ago a friend thought he saw one but I've not had the pleasure. Looking forward to the wallcreepers in Gloriettes in 4 weeks! Any update on WBs gratefully accepted.
Regards,
David
 
Sorry missed this message and guess too late now.

New children has limited my excursions. Another local birder got one near Luz last May (2009). I have still drawn a blank despite 15 or so visits to the site. According to recent studies Iraty and the basque woods are still the place to go. In 2000 they reckoned there were 250-300 pairs in the french pyrenees - most that way.

Although birding been thin on the ground have found some nice birds this year. Hope you did to in the area....
 
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