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A woodpecker takes lunch on the patio A woodpecker takes lunch on the patio
(about 17 hours later)
One of nature’s miners had come down to land on the garden patio, right in front of the kitchen window. Head cocked, the green woodpecker appraised the world as if to say: “Surely some mistake?”One of nature’s miners had come down to land on the garden patio, right in front of the kitchen window. Head cocked, the green woodpecker appraised the world as if to say: “Surely some mistake?”
Our sense of a bird out of place was reinforced by its stance, or rather its squat, for it seemed to be suffering from a collapsed suspension. Its rump sagged on the ground, tail feathers braced hard against the hard standing, pressed back just a little. Its toes appeared clamped to the concrete as if to a horizontal tree trunk. They were splayed out flat, two to the front, two to the back.Our sense of a bird out of place was reinforced by its stance, or rather its squat, for it seemed to be suffering from a collapsed suspension. Its rump sagged on the ground, tail feathers braced hard against the hard standing, pressed back just a little. Its toes appeared clamped to the concrete as if to a horizontal tree trunk. They were splayed out flat, two to the front, two to the back.
The woodpecker’s beak smashed down into the patio as a pickaxe might. Not, however, into unyielding concrete, but into a crack between the paving slabs. Four or five hard knocks were followed by a series of light chips. Then its toes gave a shuffle, its body turned and it began striking from a different angle.The woodpecker’s beak smashed down into the patio as a pickaxe might. Not, however, into unyielding concrete, but into a crack between the paving slabs. Four or five hard knocks were followed by a series of light chips. Then its toes gave a shuffle, its body turned and it began striking from a different angle.
Related: Birdwatch: Green woodpeckerRelated: Birdwatch: Green woodpecker
Eventually, the bird stopped hammering and crouched with its head bowed, beak slightly open, tip touching the ground. I could imagine – but not see – a tongue twice the length of its beak sliding down into an ant tunnel, probing with delicate precision, a sticky flypaper of a tool that ensnared every ant it licked.Eventually, the bird stopped hammering and crouched with its head bowed, beak slightly open, tip touching the ground. I could imagine – but not see – a tongue twice the length of its beak sliding down into an ant tunnel, probing with delicate precision, a sticky flypaper of a tool that ensnared every ant it licked.
Here was a bird binge drinking. The ants must have bitten back: more than once, the woodpecker stopped to shake its head and rake it with its wing, as defending ants poured over their attacker, nipping or spraying it with formic acid. Yet the bird continued gorging regardless, moving along the patio for more, bashing at a different spot.Here was a bird binge drinking. The ants must have bitten back: more than once, the woodpecker stopped to shake its head and rake it with its wing, as defending ants poured over their attacker, nipping or spraying it with formic acid. Yet the bird continued gorging regardless, moving along the patio for more, bashing at a different spot.
At last, the woodpecker flew, flashing a yellow-rumped goodbye, and I inspected its digging. The mini-anthills between the cracks, those tiny heaps of super-fine soil that had been excavated and chomped by ant jaws into minute grains, had gone. All that was left was a scatter of dust. The eye of the tunnel was intact, testimony to the finesse of a slithering tongue. As for the ants – there were none to be seen. At last, the woodpecker flew, flashing a yellow-rumped goodbye, and I inspected its digging. The mini-anthills between the cracks, those tiny heaps of super-fine soil that had been excavated and chomped by ant jaws into minute grains, had gone. All that was left was a scatter of dust. The eye of the tunnel was intact, testimony to the finesse of a slithering tongue. As for the ants – there were none to be seen.
Twitter: @DerekNiemannTwitter: @DerekNiemann