The Calf of Man Bird Observatory has recorded a first after two great spotted woodpeckers were caught in a single day during a recent visit to the island.

The observatory said the event was the first time two great spotted woodpeckers had been caught in one day on the Calf, and also the first time two had been recorded during a single season.

Both birds were first-year individuals, thought likely to have been dispersing from their natal sites in the Isle of Man.

The observatory was able to compare the two birds, with one identified as a female and the other a male. Female great spotted woodpeckers lack the red patch on the back of the head, while males have a distinctive red band in that area.

Although great spotted woodpeckers are a familiar sight in woodlands across the British Isles, they are relatively scarce on smaller, more remote islands such as the Calf of Man.

The observatory said records of the species on the Calf had increased alongside the growth of the population in the Isle of Man.

Despite the recent increase, the two birds represent only the 18th record of great spotted woodpeckers on the Calf, with the latest sighting also following a year without any records of the species in the island.

A spokesperson from the Calf of Man Bird Observatory commented: ‘This was an event that had never happened before in Calf history.

‘They are stunning birds - just take a look at that butt!’

Great spotted woodpeckers are widespread across much of Britain, where they inhabit woodland, parks and gardens. Their diet includes insects, seeds and nuts, and they are known for using their strong bills to excavate tree trunks in search of food and to create nesting cavities.