"Over here!" cried Captain Tufty. All the other birds followed him, flitting and diving through the winter woods.

Deedee was, as usual, chattering the ears off all the birds in the flock. She flew right up behind the red head of old Peck, who was taking several looks at a half-detached piece of birch bark.

"Boo!" she chirped.

"Hey, what's the big deal?" said Peck. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Did you hear about the dogwood tree that lost its bark?" asked Deedee.

"No!" said the woodpecker gruffly, before grabbing a tiny beetle from under the bark.

Deedee was about to finish her joke when Captain Tufty called out again: "Flock moving on! Next bushes look good! Look alive there!"

"Rotten titmouse!" said Peck. "Who does he think he is? Hey, let a bird feed a bit, will you? I've a good mind to exit flock." He slammed his beak repeatedly into the birch trunk, making a hollow sound that echoed through the woods.

"Bye!" said Deedee, leaving aside her joke as she flitted after the other birds. Peck grudgingly followed, dipping and rising in his flight....