The green shoots of Spring (or something...)

After taking inspiration from Phil, I got up at the inhuman hour of 0400 to check the local woods for owls, hoping in the back of my mind for a Tengmalm's Owl but knowing full well that I was going to get 'just' Tawny Owls. And so it came to pass. At 0500 when it was pitch black, overcast and quite windy (despite the forecast saying it would be clear and still) I wondered what I was doing there. However, the investment was worthwhile in the sense that I heard 2 Tawny Owls calling in my local wood, almost dueting. As it got light, the owls stopped calling but the woodpeckers took their place. I saw several Great Spotted Woodpeckers (not entirely sure of the exact number but I would say that there were at least 8), including a female drumming. Now I thought it was only males that drummed but obviously not! The drumming was not as loud or intense (one could even say it was a bit 'girlie') but, nevertheless, it was drumming.

A short while later I caught sight of a smallish bird bounding into an oak and immediately it clasped the trunk.... Getting my binoculars onto it straight away gave me my 213th species for Denmark - LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. A cracking adult male complete with red crown and lovely white barring on its black back. Fantastic! Lesser Spots are scarce in Denmark and, although there are a few reliable sites for them not far from Copenhagen, I have never heard of one being reported in my local wood. A fantastic surprise.

There were certainly signs of Spring in the air with the beginnings of a dawn chorus including Blackbirds, Wrens, Chaffinches, Great and Blue Tits and Woodpeckers. I also saw my first Stock Doves and Ringed Plovers of the year (before you ask, the Ringed Plovers were on the shore, not in the wood!). A sub-adult male Hen Harrier on the way home was a bonus.

Photo: the regular roosting Tawny Owl at Kongelunden