Just north-west of Bovington army camp is the aptly-named Oakers Wood.
Surrounded by barren wastes of pine plantations this oasis gives us an idea of what Dorset was like in the days before even Thomas Hardy's blasted heath existed.
Huge oak trees covered in epiphytic ferns stand over a boggy woodland floor, which today had large areas of standing water.
To see the birds in this dense habitat the best technique is to quietly wait until the birds find you.
Which is what I did today.
This nuthatch was uncharacteristically quiet, obsessed as it was with finding food in all the nooks and crannies of the old oak above me.
Its feeding method was to use its powerful bill to force its way into every likely-looking crack, throwing out all the inedible bits and gobbling down the tasty insects and spiders.
The treecreeper on the other hand is a much more delicate feeder.
Methodically working upwards, never downwards, the treecreeper probes with its long curved bill into places the nuthatch has left alone.
Pulling out much smaller prey the treecreeper can feed in the same trees as the nuthatch without competing for food.
They are also happy feeding in conifers, trees the nuthatch will normally leave alone.
Of course the bark feeders par excellence are the woodpeckers, but they will have to wait for another day.