Question about migration of Great Spotted Woodpecker (3 Viewers)

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

with a big thank you to all that wrote comments about Hawfinch migration again!

Does anyone can give information about abundance of migrating Great Spotted Woodpecker so far(July and August 2023)?
Are they scarcer, about normal or more frequent?

I am also interested about more general/broader answers about this topic. Thanks for any input!

 

[Jos Stratford]

Normal

In the Baltics at least, I wouldn't expect much movement of GSW in July-August in any year other than dispersal. I see no indication of anything different this season in my limited geographical area (don't know about the coast though I expect nothing there out of the usual).

If GSW move in any numbers, September and more October are more likely

 

[jalid]

In Finland, the biggest numbers occur normally at the west coast, and early August. This year has been very good, for example 13662 at Kalajoki 1, August, 6450 at Hailuoto 3 August and 3569 at Pori, 5 August.

Here some statistics from Hanko Bird observatory, which is at the south coast:

https://haahka.halias.fi/?_inputs_&species=%22Dendrocopos%20major%22&tabs=%22species%22&language=%22en%22

The best numbers there occur in August, but it varies a lot from year to year. Movement continues to October.

Similar numbers have never been seen in Estonia, but August movement occurs there also. There has been a distinct movement this year at the west coast.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Jos and Jalid,

thanks for commenting and the interesting infos!

Looks like a bumper year so far in Finland, comparing these numbers with the normal less than 10 birds/day.

For comparison, I add the Great Spotted Woodpecker grafik from the excellent newer book Flugbestimmung tagziehender Singvögel from Nils Molzahn.

 

[jogresh]

Fascinating stuff.

I really fancy some autumn birding in Finland. Anyone know (Jalid?) if it's possible to stay at Hanko? Or any Bird Obs? In Sweden I've stayed at Falsterbo which was great, whereas Ottenby you can't. I think you can at Landsort.
Sorry if this is too off topic, if anyone's day has been spoiled I don't mind moving it to another thread. TIA. 🙂👍🐦

 

[jalid]

Yes, it is possible to stay at the Hanko bird observatory, if you agree to join the migration counting or ringing. The web pages are only in Finnish and Swedish: Etusivu - Hangon lintuasema (from the little flag you can change to Swedish).

The same is true for most Finnish bird observatories. Hanko is the only with a regular, paid observer - and easiest in that way that in the other observatories it is possible that you arrive to unoccupied house in a remote island and you have to figure out everything by yourself (if not likely in high season).

 

[jogresh]

Yes, it is possible to stay at the Hanko bird observatory, if you agree to join the migration counting or ringing. The web pages are only in Finnish and Swedish: Etusivu - Hangon lintuasema (from the little flag you can change to Swedish).

The same is true for most Finnish bird observatories. Hanko is the only with a regular, paid observer - and easiest in that way that in the other observatories it is possible that you arrive to unoccupied house in a remote island and you have to figure out everything by yourself (if not likely in high season).

Thanks Jalid, much appreciated. Hmmm now you've really got me thinking. 🤩🤔👍🐦🐦

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

A scattering arrived on Shetland over the weekend, which will be migrants from Scandinavia. Some years they get very few, so it's already a reasonable year.

 

[Julian Bell]

I always say there will be an influx/irruption of GSW if I start seeing them in August (usually late in the month). This year was like that and suddenly they are "everywhere". To me GSW in late August is a sure sign that they will turn up in bigger numbers later in the autumn.

This is based on observations out at the coast in SW Norway where GSW are not common breeders like they are just a few km inland.