I got out of the car to try to rescue the bird but it panicked and flapped a lot and I couldn't pick it up so David (my hero) put the car's hazard lights on, picked the bird up a bit more securely than I had and put it in the adjacent field.
It was a juvenile Green Woodpecker - very vocal and I think its parents were nearby judging by all the calling back and forwards. The juvenile seemed unharmed but wasn't flying so just hope it was simply disorientated, I'd hate to think we rescued it from the road only to become a meal for a fox ..... I've only seen Woodpeckers a few times before but I understand the Green Woodpeckers do spend a lot of time on the ground as they chiefly eat ants in the Summer (and there are plenty of those around at the moment with the steamy weather).
As we got closer to home I noticed a man carrying a plastic shopping bag and peddling away furiously. Again not something you see often so I asked David to pull over in a side road and I nonchalantly waited with my camera till he got closer and I pretended to be photographing a nearby garden ... but now I've seen the photos on screen its obvious he wasn't fooled and knew I was looking at him!!
Its a bit fuzzy as he whizzed by so quickly :-)
I don't think I've seen anybody riding a unicycle except in the Circus but he was very confident on it. It didn't look very comfortable though.
i have enough balence problems on my bike with 2 wheels lol couldn't imagine one :p
ReplyDeletewhat a cool looking bird! :D i've only seen these types of woodpeckers before
That is quite an interesting drive! The bird is absolutely beautiful! I hope it will be okay. Re the unicyclist, I do the same thing all of the time - pretend to shoot somewhere else when I see an interesting person (that I want to paint). Sometimes they are fooled and sometimes not.
ReplyDeleteLovely pix of the bird, like you I hope it didn't become fox food. As for the guy on the unicycle, it doesn't look a bit comfortable does it. I have never seen one outside a circus before either, maybe he was from a circus!!!
ReplyDeleteDo you ride your horse? I've seen you mention visiting it but nothing more.
Great photos, Sue! If the parents were nearby the woodpecker baby, it was probably a fledgling and they were encouraging it to fly. I'm pretty sure it will be fine. I've never seen one like that - it's very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe unicyclist looks very uncomfortable!!!
Hi Jennifer
ReplyDeleteI've only seen green woodpeckers from a distance - actually on trees before so this was pretty amazing. The adults have brighter colours with real red caps and brighter green feathers.
Hi Dan
Thanks for commenting ... will check out your blog later. If David's with me when I often get him to stand and pose near my chosen 'subject' so I can pretend to photograph him and then swing the camera round further :-) The lengths we go to eh?? LOL
>>>>> what a beautiful bird! I'm sure like Jan says it was a fledgling and the parents will have looked after it. Glad you managed to get the photographs, they're gorgeous - re the unicycle - certainly not something you see everyday and I'm sure he's used to having people poke cameras at him!!!! take care x
ReplyDeleteHi Jo
ReplyDeleteThe cyclist seemed really at home on the Unicyle but must admit its a weird way to get round - he seemed so high up I wonder how he mounts and dismounts?
My horse, Roxy, is a feisty lady and had 3 fractures over the years which made her a bit arthritic in the Winter months so I decided to retire her a few years ago. She's owned me since she was 5 and she's now 26 years old.
When I moved house I decided not to move her to a yard closer to me. She's on full livery, extremely happy and Clare (yard owner) cares for Roxy like her own ... The downside is that I now only see Roxy once or twice a week but I prefer that she is happy and well cared for rather than have the upheaval of moving her and risking injury when she goes through the inevitable establishment of 'pecking order' in a new herd.
I don't ride at all now ...
Thanks Jan,
I hope that's the case. Its slightly worrying that the youngster wouldn't fly away from us but its parents were obviously above us in the trees so were keeping an eye on events.
Its 'that time of year' I think where all the juveniles are becoming active ... we have lots of hedgehog activity in the garden at night - 4 or 5 or them at the 'feeding station' last night!
Thanks Sharon,
ReplyDeleteSorry your comment popped up after I'd replied to Jan ... but I think we're all hoping the same thing, that the parents have taken care of their fledgling.
This is a beautiful bird, Sue. Gorgeous markings on his head. I hope Mama will find him and that he will be okay!! As far as the unicyclist...I would have taken his picture as well. I usually take my grandkids with me...I take a picture of them ..swing camera to my subject..and take the shot! LOL
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