zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Fair point.That said in over 30 years of visiting Chester I have never seen a wild Woodpecker with in the zoo`s grounds but I have seen a Kingfisher!!
UK WILDLIFE
- Thread starter adrian1963
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Cheetah fan
Well-Known Member
I have seen one while spending all the hours I did waiting to see Lily. I have checked the thousands of photos I have on my laptop with no success so will go through the thousands on the external hard drive to find the photo.
I don't think I've seen one there, but I've definately heard them. Whether they are in the grounds at the time, I don't know
An article about wild birds in the zoo in Chester Zoo News March 1975 mentioned that Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were rare visitors to the zoo and recently that a pair of Green Woodpeckers were seen in the vicinity of the rhino house.
I also did not mean to offend Cheetah fan, I was just identifying the barbet, it does have similarities to a lesser spotted woodpecker if you are not a bird person.
I have never seen a wild woodpecker anywhere.
I also did not mean to offend Cheetah fan, I was just identifying the barbet, it does have similarities to a lesser spotted woodpecker if you are not a bird person.
I have never seen a wild woodpecker anywhere.
Secret Squirrel
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure I heard a GSW at Chester the other week, (near the Cassowary pen) but tbh I hear them on a daily basis so didn't think much of it. The sharp slow 'tack, tack, tack' from overhead as it makes it's undulating flight between tall trees is quite unmistakable.
As a birder I'd be quite surprised if a Lesser Spotted was at Chester Zoo, being quite a shy bird, small as a sparrow, and as already mentioned, more fond of the canopy. While I wouldn't say there could never be one there it would be out of it's 'comfort zone' for the species. Perhaps in previous years when there was more tree cover and the species was more abundant it may explain the record.
It also has a more southerly distribution, although I have seen them as far north as the Trough of Bowland some 15 years ago. LSW is getting almost 'twitchable' in it's scarcity these days sadly.
The Greater Spotted is the most common woodpecker in the UK, and as such the most likely to be seen in a place like Chester Zoo, where the trees established enough to hold their food preference are sparce (compared to closed canopy) but within their comfort zone to reach.
*cough* Sorry, I'll go out of Birdforum mode now
Personally I became a little distracted watching a Kestrel fly over while Andrew was talking about the Magpies and Jungle Fowl before entering the elephant house.
As a birder I'd be quite surprised if a Lesser Spotted was at Chester Zoo, being quite a shy bird, small as a sparrow, and as already mentioned, more fond of the canopy. While I wouldn't say there could never be one there it would be out of it's 'comfort zone' for the species. Perhaps in previous years when there was more tree cover and the species was more abundant it may explain the record.
It also has a more southerly distribution, although I have seen them as far north as the Trough of Bowland some 15 years ago. LSW is getting almost 'twitchable' in it's scarcity these days sadly.
The Greater Spotted is the most common woodpecker in the UK, and as such the most likely to be seen in a place like Chester Zoo, where the trees established enough to hold their food preference are sparce (compared to closed canopy) but within their comfort zone to reach.
*cough* Sorry, I'll go out of Birdforum mode now
Personally I became a little distracted watching a Kestrel fly over while Andrew was talking about the Magpies and Jungle Fowl before entering the elephant house.
Both good points. If LSW was seen at Chester I'd expect it to be in the mature oak trees around the Restaurant/Lions/Tigers area. They are said to favour alders also but I don't think there are any at Chester.
I had never seen one properly until a few years ago when I really started looking for them and have now seen a number, including at the nest. Best time I find to locate them is Spring when they're drumming and calling, though I've seen one accompanying tits in mixed flocks a couple of times in the winter too.
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Jordan-Jaguar97
Well-Known Member
I did see several Grey Squirrel's at Blackpool and there is a Kestrel i believe near the Meerkats at Blackpool a Carnivore keeper told me.
The most memorable wildlife sighting I have had in a UK zoo was being able to watch a sparrowhawk circling above the entrance to Colchester Zoo for a period of about five minutes.
On a slightly unrelated note, the best zoo I have ever visited for wildlife was definately Wilhelma in Germany. Things I expect were regular to the locals were all either completely new to me or something quite rare in the UK. Honey buzzards, nesting white storks, red squirrels, a hunting sparrowhawk... Great.
On a slightly unrelated note, the best zoo I have ever visited for wildlife was definately Wilhelma in Germany. Things I expect were regular to the locals were all either completely new to me or something quite rare in the UK. Honey buzzards, nesting white storks, red squirrels, a hunting sparrowhawk... Great.
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Things I expect were regular to the locals were all either completely new to me or something quite rare in the UK. Honey buzzards, nesting white storks, honey buzzards, red squirrels, a hunting sparrowhawk... Great.
You liked the honey buzzards then?
You liked the honey buzzards then?
I've edited it now, but yes, honey buzzards are great.
I've edited it now, but yes, honey buzzards are great.
Cool birds. Ever seen them wing-clapping?
No, none of the buzzards wing-clapped. There were about twenty or so, all circling together over one area, accompanied by one of the white storks. Quite an impressive sight, to say the least.
I've edited it now, but yes, honey buzzards are great.
They look very impressive!