With their striking colours, great-spotted woodpeckers are quite easy to identify when you see them. However, they are often at the top of the larger trees on the estate and in the summer can be well hidden in the foliage. You will hear their characteristic tapping sound from time to time and that may help locate it. As usual, the easy way of course is to look on the bird feeders. Like nuthatches, they too are partial to peanuts.
Male and female are very similar. The female is in the photo below, with an all-over black top to her head.
