Return of the prodigal woodpecker

Richard Collins on the possibility that the great spotted has bred in Ireland

THERE is mounting evidence that one of Ireland’s ancient exiles has returned. The prodigal is no legendary wild goose but a chisel-billed carpenter. Although rumours that a pair of great spotted woodpeckers nested in the North in 2006 have not yet been substantiated, sightings of young birds this summer suggest that breeding has occurred.

The great spotted is the most common of the three woodpecker species nesting in Britain. The name is misleading: the bird has few spots and it’s only the size of a thrush. This black and white pied bird is easily recognised by its conspicuous white shoulder patches. Males have red markings on the head and under the tail.