THE GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER 55 



that I dared not even turn my head in an endeavour to see what she was doing. 



Presently I heard a ' chak ' from somewhere behind me, then it sounded 

 from my left, then my right, and again from above. Could it be that the 

 woodpeckers were suspicious of the ' hide ' ? For now both of them were 

 ' chakking ' energetically. 



As time went on my anxiety increased. The Woodpeckers continued to 

 fly from tree to tree uttering their alarm note, which was repeated at intervals 

 of about twenty seconds. Something was evidently amiss, and at last the 

 disquieting conviction was forced upon me that these keen-eyed birds actually 

 did know that I was in hiding in the heap of bracken. Should I change my 

 hiding-place, or give them another ten minutes ? 



It was one of the woodpeckers which settled the problem for me, for it 

 settled on the ground less than two yards from my head, peered in at me as 

 though to satisfy itself that I really was there, and then with an ear-splitting 

 ' chak-a-a-a-a-a,' was off like a rifle bullet. 



Without doubt a fresh hiding-place must be made and that without delay. 

 So, somewhat ignominiously, I crawled forth, and to the accompaniment of the 

 excited chattering of the woodpeckers, looked about me for the best position. 



The building of this new hiding-place really consisted of transporting 

 the branches and bracken of which the first was constructed to another, and 

 perhaps less obvious, situation. And having completed it, and satisfactorily 

 arranged the string from the camera, the question arose as to how I was to 

 retire without being seen by my watchful subjects. 



From my new position I could clearly see the Woodpecker's hole, from 

 which occasionally a youngster's head peered out, bending this way and that, 

 and chipping inquiringly. Doubtless it resented such unusual delay in the 

 delivery of rations. 



This, however, was not what I wanted. Somehow or other a scheme 

 must be devised which would trick the Woodpeckers into thinking that I 

 had gone awp.y, or vanished into the earth. For a while I gazed around 

 blankly, half inclined to walk noisily away for 100 yards or so, and then return 

 on hands and knees to my shelter. Then I thought of the dead stem of a 

 fir tree some twenty feet away. Perhaps if I set it swaying in a sufficiently 

 alarming fashion, it might tend to distract the bird's attention from myself. 

 At least it was worth trying ; for the only other alternative was to go in search 

 of my companions and they might well be, by this time, a couple of miles 



away. 



So I walked up to the dead fir stem, and found that, happily, it was ir 

 a somewhat precarious state so much so that a series of mighty pushes soon 

 set it swaying in the most apprehensive manner. Then as quickly as possible, 

 I stole back to my hiding-place, and whilst the dead tree gradually ceased 

 its rocking, awaited events. 



