This weekend I was out in the garden and activity on a tree opposite my house caught my attention. On closer examination, I could see what looked like sap running down the trunk. There were a some small holes in the trunk and the sap was seeping from there.
The blue tits and coal tits were landing on the trunk and drinking the sap from these holes. I was fascinated… what had made the holes in the first place and was this a common occurrence?
I took my adapted Bushnell trophy cam and I attached it to the tree below the holes, using a Gorillapod. I faced the Bushnell straight back up the trunk, hoping the birds would return and drink, once again, so I could capture this interesting behaviour…..
Please let me know if you, too, have seen behaviour like this in the UK. The only information I could find on the Internet was with birds in the USA.
Posted by badgerbutt on February 27, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Hi Kate,
I’ve seen sapsuckers in the US, but of course they aren’t sucking sap – just going for insects and grubs. They are woodpeckers and make neat round holes which look as though they were made with a drill. This is totally weird. It almost looks as though something tried to gouge chunks of wood from the tree. What diameter are the holes? How high are they? Have any more appeared?
What kind of tree is it? It’s interesting that the sap is rising so vigorously already.
I’ve sent the link on to my husband who knows lots more than I do. If he can’t figure it out he’ll send it out on his various lists.
I suspect the tits are just being opportunistic and taking advantage of the running sap. The big question is who made the holes?
Sorry about all the questions, but I caught your tweet and now I’m so fascinated that I want to know all the answers!
Cheers …… Joan
Posted by wildlifekate on February 28, 2012 at 12:41 pm
The holes are only small… between 3- 6mm and are about 6′ up the tree, but the tree is on a bank. I am not sure what the tree is…. I can’t remember, I need it to come into leaf. I think the woodpecker has made the holes and the tits are just taking advantage of the sweet sap drink!
Posted by Spuddrs on February 28, 2012 at 7:54 am
Hi Kate,
I have seen this before and was just as amazed. A neighbour of ours had cut back an encroaching birch branch that wa shanging down over his garden. Before long there was a steady drip, drip of sap. The birds loved it! Great and Blue tits, and also a few Chaffinch. I suppose it will have a high sugar content and be really good for an energy hit!
Spuddrs
Posted by wildlifekate on February 28, 2012 at 1:49 pm
It was certainly very popular! The birds were backwards and forwards there which is what caught my attention!
Posted by lindasgarden on February 28, 2012 at 8:16 am
lovely post Kate i have heard of it but not seen it or know why
Posted by Buckleswasher on February 28, 2012 at 9:11 am
Both Blue Tits and Coal Tits are known to eat sap, mainly in the spring. I would assume the holes were made by a woodpecker initially, another sap eater, and the Tits are taking advantage of the food source.
Posted by badgerbutt on February 28, 2012 at 1:22 pm
I’m sure everyone is right about the tits taking advantage of the running sap. My problem is with the holes. Has anyone ever seen a woodpecker make holes like that? It looks more like someone hit the trunk with a garden fork! However, it could be a woodpecker, I suppose. Here’s a good link to how woodpeckers use trees:
http://woodpeckersofeurope.info/?q=signs
Posted by wildlifekate on February 28, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Thank you, that was what I had presumed… I have just never observed this behaviour!