Has anyone seen a green woodpecker around recently? They are one of my favourite birds to see because of their amazing colours, but I have not seen them for a while.

The last one I saw one the bird was startled by me and took off before I realised it was there so I only caught a glimpse, but the colours drew my gaze instantly.

I have not seen one, but I am planning on making that one of my high priorities when I next visit the UK!

Kingfisher

I got all excited , a green woodpecker is now top of my list after seeing my great spotted one the other week.l

I haven't seen one either, they are on my list of top birds to see though because I have heard a lot about the bright almost tropical looking colours they have. Where are the best places to see them? Are they spread all over the UK or are they only in certain areas?

Doesn't seem to be any round here

They are spread fairly evenly over England, but much sparser in Scotland. They don't drum as much as the other species, you're more likely to hear their call. They are also seen on the ground much more than other woodpecker species because they like to eat ants.

Hello all, haven't been here for a while.

They might be spread evenly but they are still hard to see - at least I've never seen one. I haven't even really heard them talked about much.

We have a female Great Spotted that visits the nut feeder in the garden. Unfortunately, I've never seen a Green Woodpecker around here.

They're more frequently heard than seen, their "yaffling" call being unmistakable. During my trip to East Anglia we had excellent views of several at Weeting Heath while waiting for the Stone Curlews.

Unlike spotted woodpeckers, you are just as likely to see them on the ground as in a tree, as Greens like to feed on insects such as ants, so an area with trees, but short grassland nearby is the best place to look for them. But saying that, I've seen (and heard) them frequently in my local bit of woodland and in 2005 even had a good view of a juvenile.

As with most wildlife, it's a case of luck and a matter of keeping your ears open!

I'll have to keep an ear out for the call, I'll try and find a clip on the internet that I can learn from. Thanks for the tip about the ground I would have naturally looked into trees if I heard the call rather than the floor.

I didn't mean to imply that they were only on the ground, most of my sightings have been in trees, because I tend to walk a lot in woodland, but it's also worth looking on the ground when you hear them - if there is suitable short grass around.