Woodland Birds Traditional Geocache
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
(small)
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The cache is located within Hockley Woods, access is unrestricted. There are a number of footpaths which lead into the woods and a car park (Sat & Sun free but Mon to Fri pay & display) off Main Road (B1013). *No pen/pencil due to size of cache.
Woodland Birds: Within Hockley Woods have lived the three UK resident Woodpeckers, Greater Spotted, Lesser Spotted and Green. * Greater Spotted Woodpecker (Around the size of a blackbird) Has black-and-white plumage and a very distinctive undulating flight it spends most of its time clinging to tree trunks and branches, often trying to hide on the side away from the observer. Its presence is often announced by its loud call or by its distinctive spring 'drumming' display (can be around 40 strikes per second). The male has a distinctive red patch on the back of the head (female doesn’t) and juvenile birds have a red crown. * Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Around the size of a sparrow) Not seen or heard in the area for a few years unfortunately. It is the smallest and least common of the three woodpeckers that are resident in Britain. It has black-and-white plumage the male is distinguished from the female by his bright red crown. It tends to nest and feed higher up and is quieter in its tapping than the Greater. When feeding it creeps along branches and flutters from branch to branch, flying with an undulating flight in the open. The best time to try and see Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers is in late winter and early spring (January to April) when the trees are bare and the woodpeckers are becoming territorial. They are very difficult to see, this due to its small size and its habit of spending most of its time in the tops of tall trees. The population of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers has declined seriously in the UK and so they have been placed on the Red List. * Green Woodpecker (Around the size of a feral (town) pigeon) It has a heavy-looking body, short tail and a long bill. It is greeny-grey on its upper parts with a yellowy-green rump and red on the top of its head. The male has a small red patch under the eye the female has a small black patch. They have an undulating flight and climb up tree trunks and branches and will move around to be on the side away from anyone watching. They feed on insects, such as ants, beetles and caterpillars, by extracting them from crevices in trees with their long sticky tongue. They are also often seen feeding on ants on the ground. Other birds you may well see/hear depending on the time of day/year Treecreeper, Nuthatch (a couple of my other favourites) Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Jay, Magpie, Collard Dove, Woodpigeon, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard plus a number of others… gspleo FTF
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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