Great spotted woodpecker populations are on the up and up, but it wasn't always so. About 200 years ago the great spotted woodpecker's breeding range shrank inexplicably. At around this time these woodpeckers could only be found in mid and southern England and Wales. They have certainly bounced back with vigour since then. No doubt assisted during the last 30 years or so by the abundance of dead elm trees available for nesting in, after Dutch elm disease ravaged the UK during the 1970's.

A great spotted woodpecker announces its presence from February onwards by a loud drumming - a rapid 'drum roll' made by rapidly hammering its bill against a resonant tree. These birds cling tenaciously to a branch with their impressive claws while using the tail as a support.