BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



forcibly she gave it to understand that it was 

 now a grown up young Flicker and the days of 

 following its mother about for food were gone 

 forever. 



Poor little Flickers that in a few short weeks 

 must learn all the ways of the world of birds ! 

 Only a few weeks before they were babies, one 

 family in the hollow tree, another in a nest box, 

 and another in a crevice in an old stone wall. 

 Now they must hunt their own meals, avoid 

 bird dangers, and in this the old familiar advice 

 "try, try again," does not apply at all; the 

 first mistake means tragedy, and more than 

 this, they must soon be ready to start on the 

 long journey to the winter home. The birds 

 find no one to give them a lift on the way. 

 Their little wings must take them every mile 

 they go. 



Of all the Woodpecker family perhaps the 

 Flicker, High-holder, or Golden-winged Wood- 

 pecker as it is sometimes called, has been in- 

 convenienced most by the changing conditions 

 of the country. Possibly this is because its food 

 is somewhat different from that of the other 

 Woodpeckers and it desires to nest nearer the 

 cleared land, for the Flicker is really a ground 



[46] 



