There is quite a bit of snow about... Budapest, Hungary

Another visitor to the garden, Great Spotted Woodpecker, (Dendrocopos major). It is a harsh winter, so an easy meal is helpful. Buda, Hungary.

Eurasian Green Woodpecker digging through snow for ants. Not a sharp image as taken through a window.

It is winter, snow on the ground, but Black Woodpeckers carry on... as we all need to. Buda Hills, Hungary

A lot of snow has fallen in Budapest, Hungary, over the last few days but life goes on. As this Eurasian Green Woodpecker knows very well.

Syrian Woodpecker, Budapest, Hungary.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, in Hungary. A close up, in black and white, to get the year going.

A trail I have been on for years...

Just got a great gift, from fellow woodpecker fan Paul Bannick. His new book WOODPECKER, A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF NORTH AMERICAN WOODPECKERS is very impressive. It is full of magnificent photos and a text with a clear conservation angle. I really recommend it. Follow this link: www.paulbannick.com

These are not, as you surely know, woodpeckers! Nevermind, I sometimes look at other birds🤣 So, I was sifting through my photos from earlier this year and found many of European Bee-eaters. Locally common in Hungary and always great subjects!

Looking through some older photos I found this, the aptly named Ground Woodpecker. I've seen a few but never in a tree. In Lesotho.

Another Middle Spotted Woodpecker close-up.

Another from the weekend ringing (banding) session, in Hungary, a Middle Spotted Woodpecker. This is probably a male, but the sexes are difficult to tell apart.

A Syrian Woodpecker female, caught, measured, ringed, photographed and then released. Today, Ócsa, Hungary.

Syrian Woodpecker, adult male, Budapest, Hungary. One of the most "urban" picids on earth.

We did a "Woodpecker Walk" at the Wild Goose Festival in Tata, Hungary on Saturday. Over 50 people came along! It is not easy finding woodpeckers on a cold November day, certainly not to so many people, but we managed to get just about everyone onto a very good one... a Grey-headed Woodpecker.

My colleagues and I in the Hungarian Woodpecker Group (HVSZ) have just set up a 3rd species focused working group, on Syrian Woodpecker, to add to our two existing ones on Wryneck and White-backed Woodpecker.

We, the Hungarian Woodpecker Group, had our annual meeting at the weekend in the Mátra Hills. Besides paperwork and planning, etc, we always include time in the woods. And that's my favourite bit!

A Wryneck from spring in Hungary. Where is it now? Wintering in Africa, southern Europe, Iberia or perhaps somewhere else?

Here is another juvenile Syrian Woodpecker from Hungary. Just look at those brownish nasal bristles

Just got this book, Mammal Tracks of Europe: a field guide to the tracks and trails of European Mammals by David Wege. A guide to the signs of 72 European mammals. It’s simply laid out, very useful. I recommend it. E-book here davidwegenature.uk/product/mamm...

Syrian Woodpecker, on a wooden pole in a village in Hungary.

Syrian Woodpecker (Dendrocopos syriacus). A male up close.

Another page from THE PIED WOODPECKERS. Due out in February. Hope you are enjoying these teasers!

Another sample page from my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS. I hope I am not boring you. @pelagicpublish

Another sample page from my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS. Out this coming February.

A male White-backed Woodpecker in Austria. This photo will be in my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS, out in February.

Portrait of a Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major).

Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Can you sex this one? Male or female?

As today is WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY: worldmigratorybirdday.org I thought I'd post a photo of Europe's only truly migratory woodpecker species... Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla)

The Eurasian Wryneck (Jynx torquilla) is Europe's only truly migratory woodpecker species. They are on the move right now

And here is another sample page from my new book THE PIED WOODPECKERS (to be which will be published in February 2026: pelagicpublishing.com/products/the...

Here is another sample page from my forthcoming book THE PIED WOODPECKERS. Due out February 2026.

Some sample pages from my forthcoming book THE PIED WOODPECKERS. Due February 2026. What do you think?

A young male Greater Stag Beetle (Lucanus cervus). In the Czech Republic a few days ago. What impressive animals they are!

Update. I'm now going through the 2nd proofs, with photos added, of THE PIED WOODPECKERS. We are on schedule for publication this November.

European Bison. Poland, a few days ago.

Here you go! Coming this November... pelagicpublishing.com/products/the...

Another thing for my collection of woodpecker "stuff". This is now the best beermat I have.

Birding in the Velebit Mts Croatia last week we came upon this ruin. Luka Modric, world class footballer who plays for Real Madrid, spent his childhood here. It is a remarkable story, involving poverty, war and becoming a refugee. If you are curious you can find more on it on the internet.

A male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dryobates minor). Cracking little birds. More on him in my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS which will be published in early 2026 by Pelagic Publishing in the UK @pelagic.bsky.social

It's not all about woodpeckers you know, many other animals work on trees, too. On that note, today is INTERNATIONAL BEAVER DAY nationaltoday.com/internationa...

There is always work to do. The Wrynecks are back in Hungary so we are putting up some last minute nest boxes.

And here is another species that is included in my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS to be published in early 2026 by @pelagic.bsky.social Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dryobates minor

I attended a conference on woodpeckers in Germany at the weekend and gave a talk on the White-backed Woodpecker in Hungary.

And here is another species that is included in my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS to be published by @pelagic.bsky.social White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos

Another species that will be in my next book THE PIED WOODPECKERS to be published by @pelagic.bsky.social Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus

Today is International Day of Forests. www.un.org/en/observanc... Guess where I am going? Yes, that is right, to the forest.

I have handed in my manuscript to @pelagic.bsky.social in the UK for my next book. It will include 5 "pied" species. To whet your appetites, here is one of them, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major

Spring is here and Wrynecks are moving back from their wintering quarters to their breeding areas. Get ready!