There has been a real buzz of excitement in our school grounds this week as our Woodpecker Watch continues! Having heard some new, high-pitched noises coming from the nest in our former cherry tree, we believe the woodpecker chicks have hatched. While we haven’t spotted them yet, we have been seeing the parent woodpeckers busily scouting for food; a sure sign that little beaks are waiting to be fed.

Did you know…

• Woodpecker chicks can eat up to 100 times a day.
• Both parents help feed the chicks, taking turns to bring them insects and larvae.
• Chicks stay in the nest for around 3 weeks before they’re ready to fledge.

To help protect the nest, we have created a special chair fort to keep the area screened and peaceful and it’s working well. Mrs Digby has also set up an outdoor solar-powered video camera to help monitor the activity without disturbing the birds.

This has been such a special opportunity for our learners to observe local wildlife in action. We will keep you posted with any chick sightings. Fingers crossed we’ll see a little head or two popping out very soon.