cold hands, but a good reward! (1 Viewer)

After 2 or so hours of skiing it was definetly time for a little birdwatch, so I decided to head somewhere quiet in the trees. finding the perfect spot, I settled down and my friends left me, planning to meet at the same spot 20minutes later. shortly after they left drumming gave away the presence of a woodpecker some way off, but unfortunatly there was a blooming great gorge between me and it! so I waited in agony for 50min+ with not a single sight of the woodpecker untill eventually my friends finally turned up! (I don't know what was worse them being a tad late of my freezing(!) cold hands!

Anyway, later that day in the evening I returned to the same spot to here the woodpecker just of to my right down a (steep) slope. so I struggled down there to try and get a view of whatever woodpecker it was (because it never seemed to come out from behind the tree). My stealthy aproach soon was ruined when a slipped down the hill heading straight for the tree where the woodpecker was (not getting any grip with my ski boots), but managed to regain control and stop myself 7 or so metres from the tree. But it was all worth it when a beautiful black woodpecker emerged from behind the tree and gave great views perching for about a minute before flying of and back to the tree giving its (pretty distinctive) flight/alarm call.
a great way to end the day with my 9th european woodpecker (species).

This was at poiana brasov in romania if anyones intrested, sorry if I blabbered on a bit!8-P

Nice! I like very much Black Woodpeckers. If you want to see them once again, they are an usual presence in Mogosoaia (only 7 kilometeres from Bucharest). It is a nice english park there. It is also a good place to see some Long-eared Owls. If you need a guide...