Greater Spotted Woodpecker

This morning just as I was waiting for a tradesman to arrive there was a thud on the window of our conservatory. To my horror, looking out, there was a small woodpecker lying twitching on the ground. When I got to it, it was still moving and its eyes were open. I gingerly picked it up and it lay still in my hand with its feet tightly curled under its body. It was about the same size as a small blackbird so I am assuming it was not fully grown. It had a patch of red on its crown and some red at its rump. It allowed me to comfort it for several minutes, opening its beak jerkily several times and at one point making a series of faint squawks. I thought about ringing the RSPCA, but because my visitor would be arriving at any moment, I decided to leave it till after he had gone.

Its wings did not appear to be broken and I could move them without causing the woodpecker any distress but it would not allow me to uncurl its feet. It was lying lopsided in my hand at an awkward angle with its beak over the edge of my palm. It did seem to be recovering rather than getting weaker so I laid it gently on some soft plants in a large tub where the dogs would not get at it.

After my visitor had gone I went out to the patient but as I approached the tub it flew briskly away, so I assume it had recovered and had been but stunned.

It was an amazing experience holding such as small vunerable creature in my hand, allowed to stroke it without apparently frightening it any further.