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| Gerard's book on a species that is keeping UK birders waiting |
RIGHT across the globe, the black woodpecker is
widespread and, in some places, common.
But why has it never been recorded - at least officially - in Britain?
That was the mystery that attracted an audience to
an intriguing talk by Gerard Gorman, an expert on the species
and author of The Black Woodpecker - A Monograph on Dryocopus Martius.
During his presentation, Gerard discussed its
status on the continent and
telltale signs of its presence such as long-slot foraging holes on the
trunks of trees.
A spectacular creature, it is the largest woodpecker in Europe - twice
the size of its commonest UK counterpart, the great spotted woodpecker.
"A strong flier, its range extends across Belgium, Holland, France,
Norway, the Pyrenees and across much of Asia to the Far East," said Gerard.
Outside Bruges in Belgium, there are breeding pairs. Others nest within easy
flying distance of the English Channel.
Owls, even one as small as the Tengmalm's, fly across the North Sea to Britain,
so why not the black woodie?
Is it just that the bird dislikes flying across the sea that has prevented its
appearance in Britain?
This cannot be the case because it established itself in Bornholm, a
Danish island south of Sweden in the Baltic Sea.
Is it something to do with our weather? Surely not - it adapts well to climates
whether mild or cold.
In theory, one could turn up in Kent, Sussex, East Anglia, Lincolnshire, the
Shetlands or the Orkneys.
Or Yorkshire.
"But why would one want to fly to Yorkshire?" quipped, Gerard, a Merseysider and thus a Lancastrian.
Its preferred habitat is tall trees, but, as a vagrant, pretty well any tree would
provide a temporary perching point and feeding place.
Gerard, who is a wildlife tour guide as well as an author, concluded with the best he was
prepared to offer in the way of a prediction.
"See you one day!"
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