After a 20 year wait, an LSW finally appears whilst I'm raptor watching, flying <2m above a grassy field for 150m and landing briefly on a willow sapling. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

Where Wood Ants are found in abundance you should find lots and aphids and hopefully hungry LSWs!Pleased to have a short observational article in @britishbirds.bsky.social this months. Thank @lesserspotnet.bsky.social for the encouragement. @bucksbirdclub81.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social

Lesser Spot Network@lesserspotnet.bsky.social · last mo.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 'Ant-Flinger'- fascinating observations by David Bevan @djbevanphoto.bsky.social of a male LSW systematically removing & discarding wood ants whilst foraging for aphids. Article & video just published in @britishbirds.bsky.social see britishbirds.co.uk/journal/arti...

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 'Ant-Flinger'- fascinating observations by David Bevan @djbevanphoto.bsky.social of a male LSW systematically removing & discarding wood ants whilst foraging for aphids. Article & video just published in @britishbirds.bsky.social see britishbirds.co.uk/journal/arti...

Very promising results for protecting Willow Tit nests and good work by @wildhorizons.bsky.social . We love all Woodpeckers, but Great Spots are the culprits here.

Wild Horizons@wildhorizons.bsky.social · last mo.

The last Willow Tit nest of the season now fledged, successfully protected from Great Spotted Woodpecker predation. No GSW predation in protected nests this year, in stark contrast to 100% predation rate by GSW in unprotected nests. Very promising results.

Watch BBC Countryfile tonight, BBC One at 7:15. Woodpecker Network and @lesserspotnet.bsky.social volunteers, Ken and Linda Smith, will be in the New Forest talking about and looking for Woodpeckers.

Delightful scene - but don't get confused these are both Great Spotted Woodpeckers, an adult female (on the left) feeding its youngster. Young Great Spots have a red cap when they leave the nest and are sometimes mis-identified as male Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. (not by anyone on here though!)

The Fake History Hunter@fakehistoryhunter.net · 2mo ago

Time line cleanser, for morale improving purposes, from my garden:

New **50m** resolution British soil map from @ukceh.bsky.social, for soil health, farming, planning, habitat mapping & habitat creation potential; 13 natural capital units. Free for non-commercial use. www.ceh.ac.uk/news-and-med...

Feeling downhearted after the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker breeding season is over? This good cheer from Somerset LSW volunteer @angusrobin.bsky.social

@angusrobin.bsky.social · 2mo ago

A new Pied Flycatcher nest on a fledged Blue Tit nest @piedflynet.bsky.social @somersetbirds.bsky.social @btosomerset.bsky.social

Two healthy chicks seen this morning - great to see both survived the Jay attack. They’re roughly 18 days old so due to fledge quite soon. The female parent seems to be visiting the nest less often now #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

And away… I must have just missed this little one fledging this morning. She was sat in the adjacent beech for an hour calling to be fed. Soon after she was chasing her mother around further afield. One left to go! #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

There are now two more female Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers out in the world! What a joy it’s been to share this patch of woodland with these incredible birds for the last 11 days. Thanks to @lesserspotnet.bsky.social for the guidance. The clearing feels very quiet now! #HantsBirds #NewForest

Here's a slow mo of the first two flights for this young male. Not elegant but beautiful none the less. I hope to see the 3 chicks again as adult birds over the coming years. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

Looking for the exits. The LSW chicks are very restless now - sticking their heads out the hole and yelling at their parents. Fecal sacs are no longer being removed. A chance they could fledge today at ≈22 days old. Both appear to be female #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

This Wood Warbler was singing in a new spot on the Quantocks for me this year. Nearby a female Lesser Spot was quietly feeding. Only one new GSW nest found today (calling young giving them away) @somersetbirds.bsky.social @btosomerset.bsky.social

I fell asleep last night with ringing in my ears. It took a moment to realise it was the sound of LSW chicks. Jaygate is over for now - still at least one chick calling today. We’ll find out how many tomorrow morning #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

Here’s an example of LSW young calling from a nest (there were three young not far off fledging in this nest) @ukrbbp.bsky.social @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

The good news is the chick(s) started calling louder again. The bad news is the Jay made another visit. Let’s hope the hole is small enough and the cavity deep enough to win out 🤞

The chicks are getting larger and louder now. That was until a Jay stuck its head in the nest cavity tonight. I don’t think it took a chick, at least one still calling, albeit much quieter now. Perhaps it’s the remaining younger chick or just spooked #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

Interesting thread with thoughts on habitat and food requirements for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers by @rufusdawson.bsky.social

Rufus D@rufusdawson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Deep within a Gloucestershire valley is a hidden world. The wider countryside is covered by mixed-age beech woodland in a complex mosaic of forest, commons and farmland. But in this quiet corner, a strikingly different blend of habitats can be found - and with it a mix of unusual species. (1/10)

In 2.5 years I had only ever seen a female LSW, even when I found a nest late on Friday as only the female seemed to be visiting. So I was thrilled to see this male turn up on Saturday morning strutting his stuff! #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

The lesser spots have finally fledged! Want to see it don't watch this video! Watching through my bins and didn't notice my camera had frozen in the heat. Watch the pre-behaviour and you can hear the bird fly away calling at 31 secs. Then her siblings realise at 37 secs @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

Following interest in our Dec 2025 paper on Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and acoustic monitoring, we invited readers' questions to the experts britishbirds.co.uk/news/ask-exp... Thanks to Linda Smith and @LesserSpotNet.bsky.social 📸David Tipling

@lesserspotnet.bsky.social one of two new nests found in The Blean this weekend. Three chicks in the nest but no sign of the adult female

Thanks to @piedsandpiper.bsky.social the nest was checked yesterday, 2 good looking chicks snug in the nest cavity, both adults feeding.

A Lesser Spot nest found on Friday and now being monitored by @piedsandpiper.bsky.social has 2 good looking chicks see photo in thread. One of 4 new nests found in the New Forest this weekend

Pied Sandpiper@piedsandpiper.bsky.social · 3mo ago

All the early February mornings trying to understand a LSW territory paid off today when I finally went looking for nests. Amazingly, this was the last tree on my list! #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

All the early February mornings trying to understand a LSW territory paid off today when I finally went looking for nests. Amazingly, this was the last tree on my list! #HantsBirds #NewForest @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

Lesser Spots still not fledged. Typical behaviour this morning. Chicks calling from the hole, Female brings a quick feed then tries to call them out. They didn't want to come out. Has to be tmrw but I've been saying that since Thursday! @lesserspotnet.bsky.social

It's coming to the end of lesser spot season, and chicks are fledging. Listen out for calling chicks if you're in the woods. Video by Paul Cox (thanks Paul for permission to use).

I cant believe the lesser spot chicks haven't fledged yet. The female kept calling at them to come out this morning. At one point for over 6 minutes straight. The adults are tired and want the chicks to forage for themselves. They are doing there best to avoid the lunges! @lesserspotnet.bsky.social