Cambridge, Mass.
1913.
March 24
[March 24, 1913]

Hairy & Downy Woodpeckers feeding among stubby stalks
of perennial plants protruding above bare & earthy ground.

  The tall flower stalks of numerous holyhocks, larkspurs, 
Helianthus, Rudbeckia and various other perennials long established 
in our garden were left standing through the past winter.
About a week ago the gardener cut them all off two or 
three inches above the ground which was raked clean 
at the same time. Within the space - some ten yards 
square - thus cleared a [male] hairy woodpecker and a 
pair of Downy woodpeckers spent almost the whole 
forenoon today, pecking at the stubs of the perennials 
with an eagerness and persistence which indicated that 
they must be supplying an abundance of especially 
attractive food. What this was I failed to ascertain 
by subsequent examination of the stubs. Most of 
these had been split into shards by the birds['] bills.
The few whole ones contained no grubs that I 
could discover. Nor did I see the Woodpeckers