At lunch with the Peckers

Perseverance finally paid off! It took me eight visits this month before I finally saw the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers at Moore yesterday, but far from calling it quits, today I pushed my luck and went back in my lunch break for another dose. Miraculously I saw them again almost immediately, but much better than I ever dreamed.

With surprising gusto for such a small bird, the male was excavating a hole in a branch in full view for about 15 minutes. Apparently he's done this before already this year, and it doesn't necessarily mean they will breed in this hole, it's just an exploratory hole. Whatever, there were wood chippings flying in all directions. Meanwhile in the background the unseen female called.

Must be nearly through to the other side! I'm surprised that the branch doesn't break in two.