In search of the woodpeckers, part 1

As it's winter holiday now, and most of the migrating birds are still somewhere far south, it's time concentrate on local birds that stay here year round. Like woodpeckers. I will try to find during this holiday week all woodpecker species that breed in this region  - tough quest, but I will try still.

But... when you jump out of the car and step out of the road, you will suddenly realise that it's not so easy. At the moment we have about 60 cm of snow and in some place where wind has blown there is much more, even 1,5 meters. So snowshoes or skis are mandatory equipment. Personally I prefer snowshoes because they fit well in my car and they are easy to use in forests, where long skis instead are very difficult.



So today I went to old forest of Mettivuori with my younger son Roni. As you can see from the photo on the left, there certainly are woodpeckers, at least during summer...

But today we did not hear any knocking of woodpeckers, just a distant call of Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius).A flock of Eurasian Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) were feeding in treetops and some Coal Tits (Periparus ater) and Willow Tits (Poecile montanus) were passing by. One of the male Bullfinches started singing, clear sign of the forthcoming spring.






From Mettivuori forest we moved to downtown Valkeakoski, to see if there is any waterfowl in the dowstream of the power plant. There was saw a pair of Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) and also a pair of Mallards (Anas platyrhychos). Nice flock of 90 European Greenfiches (Carduelis chloris) were resting in nearby park.


Nothing special today, but a nice trip still. On the left is one more photo, an example of the nest box for Eurasian Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris). As you can see, the entrance to box is in the side - not in the front like in ordinary boxes.