Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Wild Bird Wednesday


This is the White Breasted Nuthatch.  I have a family of them living in one of my trees on the hill.  They have to be a favorite.  They scoot up and down the trees head first making cute little nasal "ack ack" sounds.  They are at my feeders every day and make quite a racket when the whole family is there.  Here he is foraging for insects in a branch on my tree :)(See below for more information)

He is looking for his favorite treat ... what is that ominous creature in the background ... hmmmmm

Ahhh, at last he found it ... and look, his tongue is white.  Who would have thought it :)

He is not the least concerned by the ominous creature (squirrel) who is raiding another feeder.  They are even used to me when I am around.  They don't fly away unless I make a sudden move or get too close for comfort.  I have rescued two of these little guys over the years ... probably youngsters who learned the hard way about my window.  Both survived and were released back to their family group.    That's all for today ... Have a wonderful week everyone ...


The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a small songbird of the nuthatch family which breeds in old-growth woodland across much of temperate North America. It is a stocky bird, with a large head, short tail, powerful bill and strong feet. The upperparts are pale blue-gray, and the face and underparts are white. It has a black cap and a chestnut lower belly. The nine subspecies differ mainly in the color of the body plumage.
Like other nuthatches, the White-breasted Nuthatch forages for insects on trunks and branches, and is able to move head-first down trees. Seeds form a substantial part of its winter diet, as do acorns and hickory nuts that were stored by the bird in the fall. The nest is in a hole in a tree, and the breeding pair may smear insects around the entrance as a deterrent to squirrels. Adults and young may be killed by hawks, owls and snakes, and forest clearance may lead to local habitat loss, but this is a common species with no major conservation concerns over most of its range. Wikipedia

17 comments:

Karen said...

What a pretty little bird. I don't see the White-breasted here, only the Red. Love that sneaky squirrel!

TexWisGirl said...

so very cute!!! i see them SO rarely here. they are always a treat for me.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

How lovely to have that family living in your backyard! Nuthatches are such cute little acrobats. Wonderful pictures. Thank you for sharing.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Nuthatches are such cute little acrobats. You are lucky to have this family in your backyard! Thanks for sharing. Apologies if this is a repeat post -- I lost my Internet connection while I was here and am not sure if I got my earlier comment sent or not. (It's definitely worth looking at more than once!!)

mick said...

Great photos of a beautiful little bird - it is certainly being "picky" over the nuts.

Unknown said...

He's very cute!

Carole M. said...

oh it's lovely and glad they stick around for you to photograph (shame about the window mishaps)

Elephant's Child said...

He would be a favourite here too. A big favourite. Thank you.

eileeninmd said...

Love the cute nuthatch, great shots! Have a happy week!

The Queen Jester said...

We used to have a lot of these at our old house near the woods. At times I miss those days and then I remember the backbreaking work it involved and a flock of cranes or ibis fly overhead and I'm okay again.

Rajesh said...

Wonderful shots of birds. It is very cute.

Kerri Farley said...

Love these little guys....in fact I posted one too :) They are sweet sweet birds!

Edna B said...

I love your photos. We have nuthatches here too. They are so adorable to watch, especially when they hang upside down and check out the feeding area. It's amazing how these tiny birds can survive in this wicked winter weather. Watching them brings us so much joy.
It's cold here, and it feels like it is getting colder. The chill goes right through these old bones. I think we're in for a long cold winter. Brrr. Stay warm my friend, and have a wonderful day. Hugs, Edna B.

Anni said...

Amazing images Andrea!! And if you'd not mentioned the squirrel I would not have noticed him!!!

Have a great day and happy week ahead.
Anni @ I'd Rather B Birdin'
and
Hootin' Anni's

EG CameraGirl said...

I'm very fond of white-breasted nuthatches! Neat photos, Andrea!

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

He is a lovely little bird to watch on the feeder.

Unknown said...

Nice bird. Happy Wednesday.

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