Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 2025 Report
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Our full Lesser Spotted Woodpecker report for 2025 is here -thanks to the brilliant support of our network of volunteers, it has been a remarkably positive year.
It includes how passive acoustic monitoring (sound recording) to detect LSW calls and drumming was amazingly successful at sites through Sussex, Hampshire and Somerset, detecting LSW at known sites but also at many sites where they had not been recorded before.
And how in the breeding season LesserSpotNet volunteers monitored 24 nests – the most in any year since we started the project in 2015. The average number of chicks fledged per nest was the highest ever.
BTO Marsh Award 2024 for Woodpecker Network
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Woodpecker Network was honoured to accept the 2024 Marsh Award for Local Ornithology at the BTO Awards Evening hosted by the Society of Wildlife Artists at the Natural Eye Exhibition at the Mall Gallery in October 2024.
Is that a Lesser Spotted or Great Spotted Woodpecker in your garden?
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Great Spots are found widely throughout Britain, they are common in woodland and readily visit garden feeders. Lesser Spots are scarce and rarely seen. So you are much more likely to see a Great Spot than a Lesser Spot.
You can easily tell the difference………..
Last chance to find a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nest
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Now is your last chance and a good time to find a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nest, For the next weekor two LSW young will be calling from the nest hole and you may hear them. So have a good search in your local woods.
Lesser Spot Net volunteers are already watching/monitoring twelve nests accross the Midlands and South of England.
If you find a nest please let us know so that we can help you monitor it and gather useful information to help the Lesser Spot Net project.
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in the Wyre Forest - 1st chicks of 2025
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LesserSpotNet volunteer organisers, Ken and Linda Smith, were delighted to visit the Wyre Forest National Nature Reserve in Worcestershire on 2 May. We were guests of Natural England who employed an expert contractor, Craig, to survey Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers this spring. The forest, mainly Oak woodland, is a stronghold for Lesser Spots and much other wildlife and is estimated to hold at least 15 pairs. Craig had found four Lesser Spot nest sites so far this year.
The first nest had a female LSW incubating seven eggs, this is an above average clutch size, which is good. Note: in the photo some of the eggs are hidden under the bird.