Duped by a Woody - Pyrenees France? (2 Viewers)

[rosbifs]

So I was chasing drummers this morning and this little fellow showed up. The wood has held all the woodpeckers available in the Pyrenees...

Anyway, I had already seen and heard - Middle Spot, great Spot and followed up with black - distant and green.

Scene set

There were 3 drummers and some calls around and about and I clocked this one. I snapped two quick shots as it drummed but try as I may I couldn't get a clear view. Then a Great came into the next tree and then there were none.

The drum was weaker than Great but longer. I thought to myself and commented as much that it didn't seem long enough. Now I have reviewed the pictures I think it is Middle not Little - which was my target - so hence I think I was duped - I have never, in my memory, heard one drum before and honestly thought they didn't....

 

[Val35]

Middle Spotted WP for me.
Lesser should have more black behind the red cap (like all around the back of cap).

 

[Butty]

It really can often help to give the actual location - as it would here - given that the head-pattern is suggestive of white-backed woodpecker which appears to live only in one half of the Pyrénées: black reaching up in a separate line from the rear of the ear-coverts to join the crown.

 

[rosbifs]

It's a wood where White Backed used to breed, no records for probably 10 years, but also right on the limits of its eastern range (excluding the small population nearer Toulouse). Argeles is the nearest town.

I felt that it was lesser or middle - didn't seem big enough for White Backed but I will go back to my books! I would also suggest was a little low in altitude - about 550m.

 

[rosbifs]

Local ‘expert’ confirmed as middle…