‘The Lesser Spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor)  has a mythical reputation amongst wildlife and bird enthusiasts; a bird which is widely regarded as one of Britain’s rarest and arguably most mysterious breeding bird. But Herefordshire has a very special relationship with this fascinating species, due to it’s nationally significant abundance of several textbook Lesser Spot habitats; in particular traditional orchard, ancient woodland and well wooded riparian corridors.

In this talk locally prolific ornithologists Toby Fountain and Ella Curry will delve into the extraordinary complexity of this bird’s ecology and why the county of Herefordshire, due it’s abundance of suitable habitats, may prove to be a national stronghold for this remarkable species.’