Finnish Focus on....Three-Toed Woodpecker

Been planning on a regular feature of profiling species which I particularly like when it comes  to birding here in Finland.

I thought I would start with a real favorite of mine, Three-toed Woodpecker.

Three-toed are not particularly rare, even near the capital, but they are habitat specialists in their choice of breeding location.

On my first visit to Finland, in August 2013, this was one of my most sought after species, and the 10 km hike through a national park, to find pristine, old growth forest, was worth the swarms of mosquitoes to see these stunners.


My first Three-Toed Woodpecker - Seitseminen National Park

These days I don't do that. The 10 km walk doesn't put me off. But I do try to avoid mozzies if I can. And most winters I can rely on one or two Three-toed being on patch, where, more often than not, they can be exceptionally tame. So I simply have to wait and let them come to me.



Immature Three-Toed Woodpecker - Laajalahti


Immature Three-Toed Woodpecker - Laajalahti



Immature Three-Toed Woodpecker - Laajalahti


Adult Male Three-Toed Woodpecker - Laajalahti

Males, with that gorgeous yellow crown, are particularly mind-blowing. This one below was in Nuuksio national park in winter, half way between our home and mökki. We watched this bird for around an hour, as he was exceptionally tame. A soft low tapping at the base of a tree gave him away, and indeed we originally suspected that we had a more distant woodpecker off in the woods, finally realizing that, in fact there was a bird near our feet. A dream bird, in black, white and yellow.

When it comes to species like this, species that that become favorites or go on the "most wanted" list, I often try to recall where/when that thought/desire was put in my head. I distinctly remember a birding profile in Birdwatching magazine when I first started out birding, for birding in Manitoba, Canada. There was an image of Three-toed that stuck with me. And, again, now I live where I can expect to see them each winter. Head spinning stuff.

I'm almost getting nostalgic for winter here.....almost...



Three-Toed Woodpecker - Male - Hanna Hyvönen




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