drumming White-backed Woodpecker

 Today the weather forecast predicted nice, sunny and calm weather. So I went out to Kjenes edellovsskog on Lindås to try to record the drumming of White-backed Woodpecker.

It took me about two hours to find a steady White-backed after seeing some flyby's and hearing distant drumming. Being patient (I didn't use playback because it can have the opposite effect), I recorded both drumming and calls of a female. Happy with that. You can hear the results below. Otherwise, a distant calling Nutcracker, a calling White-tailed Eagle, a noisy pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, three Nuthatches and at least three singing Marsh Tits.

🎤 White-backed Woodpecker drumming female

🎤 White-backed Woodpecker calling female

For comparison, listen to the recording of the drumming of Great Spotted Woodpecker (the day after at Gimmelandsdalen)

🎤 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming male

The drumming of the White-backed reminds a bit of a quickly bouncing ping pong ball, becoming weaker as it ends, while that of the Great Spotted is short, monotonous and abruptly ending. 

new lens

 I bought a Nikkor Z 180-600mm and had to try it out, of course. So I went to Tveitevannet in very grey light and tried for the Common Ringed Plover at Flesland. I didn't see that one, but a singing Yellowhammer made me happy. It is not going well with that species. Also, a Skylark was singing there. How long is it going to take before that one disappears? My first singing Song Thrush of the year, a flyby Goldfinch and a few migrating Lapwings are also worth mentioning. On the way to Kalandsvannet, I found two Pink-footed Geese along Skeievegen. These were quite distant birds, so it was a good opportunity to try the new lens, see below.

Nothing to mention at Kalandsviken and at Tveitevannet the Gadwall was still present.

 Pink-footed Geese

Herring Gull at Tveitevannet