CHAPTER LIV 

 WOODPECKERS 



THE green woodpecker is a lover of water ; indeed, I have 

 never yet seen him far away from the water, whether it be 

 river, lake, or the sea. 



There stands an old alder by one of the silver sheets of 

 broad water where the greenpecker has raised her young 

 more than once, and where on a grey day in autumn you 

 may watch the green bird twitter up the two paths round 

 about the trunk, flying off with a loud pheasant-like cry, 

 when disturbed, to a distant cover. 



In winter I have frequently disturbed the green wood- 

 pecker feeding by the low cliffs by the sea, or upon the 

 sea-sand itself, in search of insects, no doubt. 



In Anglesea I have seen it feeding on a sea-flooded low- 

 land in company with curlew and green plover, and not far 

 away were oyster-catchers and peewits busy amongst the 

 oysters and worms. When flushed, he invariably flew off 

 to the nearest hedgerow or cover. 



But I have had mere glimpses of this bright, loud-voiced 

 bird, for he is very shy, though not very alert. 



LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER. 



A long lane, bordered with pollarded willows, leads to 

 the desolate hollows of the sandhills, beyond which is heard 

 the everlasting cry of the winter sea ; for this lane is of 

 interest to us only in winter-time, for 'tis then you make 



sure of seeing a pair or two of the lesser spotted wood- 



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