Silent Woodpeckers

I've always presumed Green Woodpeckers are so silent here because they are so few in number and isolated from each other. Why bother making communication noises if there is nobody there to hear or understand what you are saying? This would only draw attention to yourself unnecessarily perhaps. Maybe LS Woodpeckers are a tiny bit more common than we are aware of for the same reason. Marsh Tits can seem pretty quiet and elusive around here too. However, I was lucky enough to visit an area of magnificent woodland in the New Forest at the end of March which clearly supported a very high density of them. In a couple of hours I counted 14 Marsh Tits. They were a constant visual presence on the walk, calling vociferously, and were far from being elusive.