Grub’s Up!

Now’s the time of year when birds can be seen with their beaks full of grubs to feed their young. Here are some photos of some favourite birds busy collecting beasties to take back to chicks and fledglings. I have now discovered where a woodpecker pair have their nest hole and have been observing them from a distance as they come and go. I can hear the chicks trilling out for food but they can’t be seen yet. When the woodpecker feeds them it disappears right into the hole! Here is one about to go in.

And here it flies out, off to get more food. It is a constant task with it delivering nosh every ten minutes or so. Of course it has to feed itself too and keep its energy up.

While I’ve been sitting at the base of a tree watching “Woody” I’ve also been seeing this robin collecting juicy caterpillars. It seems to have a nest hidden in thick undergrowth.

This wren has a caterpillar too.

This great tit was collecting food for its youngster who was chirping out for it from a hidden branch in a neighbouring tree.

Here is a thrush with a beakful too.

By the river dippers dive under the water to collect maggots.

The very sociable long tailed tits were whistling to each other and having quite a feeding frenzy in the trees on the edge of the wood. The wee ping-pong ball shaped fledglings were making the parents work hard to feed them. They are delightful wee birds!