ITS BIRDS
71
Redwing. Large numbers roost in the denser thickets dur-
ing hard winters, especially when there is a good supply
of holly and other berries. At sunset they come troop-
ing in from all quarters, and sweep round the trees in
graceful flight before settling down for the night in the
lower brushwood.
Fieldfare. In hard weather they come close to the houses
to feed on holly berries.
Missel Thrush. Common. His grating note is heard in
Wanstead Park in mid-winter and the early months.
Wryneck. Comes with the cuckoo, and is frequently heard
in April, but soon leaves us for the more retired parts of
the Forest.
Green Woodpecker. May be constantly heard tapping, and
occasionally seen, in the northern part of the Forest.
Very frequent about Cook's Folly, near Walthamstow.
GREEN WOODPECKER.
Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Fairly common in several
parts. The rattling of his beak on a hollow branch is
audible at a long distance.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. "Three times seen in my
garden at Leytonstone."—A. L. Not very uncommon
in the Forest.
Nuthatch. Generally found in the neighbourhood of old
elm trees. In such positions, if supplied with nuts,
they carry them off every morning, invariably leaving
unsound ones, '' Many years ago a pair used to come
to my whistle every morning to be fed at an old mul-
berry tree in my garden. They would run down the
branch to within a yard of my outstretched hand, but
never quite ventured to take the nuts I offered them
until I laid them down.''—A. L.
Hoopoe. More than one example of this rare bird has been
observed in the neighbourhood. One bird frequented
a garden at Knotts Green for several days some years
ago.