N is for Nuthatch
This small but beautiful tree-climbing bird is never seen far from the large, mature trees that provide it with food and accommodation throughout the year.
The nuthatch is a plump bird about the size of a great tit that resembles a small woodpecker. It is blue-grey above and whitish below, with chestnut on its sides and under its tail. It has a black stripe on its head, a long black pointed bill, and short legs. It breeds in central and southern England and in Wales, and is resident, with birds seldom travelling far from the woods where they hatch.
Nuthatches advertise their territory using loud, simple songs. Nuthatches have a wide range of calls. The commonest is a loud ringing "chit chit chit-chit".
Best looked for in mature woods and established parkland in central and southern England and Wales, on the sides of tree trunks and underside of branches. Occasional sightings in Scotland. They are residents of the UK and can be found all year round.
They eat insects, hazel nuts, acorns, beechmast and other nuts and seed.
I hope you liked my N -
the natty, neat, noisy and nifty little Nuthatch.
Why not visit the link to other people's imaginative posts for the letter M by clicking on this link?
One of my favourites...smashing bird.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen a Hoopoe? We get masses of them in the garden here.
SP
I shared a nuthatch today, too :) Not as many shots, though. I really like this birds, they're sweet and friendly.
ReplyDeleteI love your Nuthatch. We have them here, as well, and although they are rather noisy they are always welcome.
ReplyDeleteAn adorable little bird. I was down at our local bird sanctuary yesterday but didn't see any.
ReplyDeleteLeslie
abcw team
Wonderful shots - they are such dear little birds.
ReplyDeleteGreat Photos, do you have stoats that hunt them?
ReplyDeleteNeato! (Showing I am a kid from the 60's.)
ReplyDeleteI love your photo of a nuthatch. I am excited to tell you how much it looks like a nuthatch here in Georgia. Ours has a brown head and is therefore, with great imagination, called a Brown-headed nuthatch. The brown is a lovely color, not DULL brown like my bird book says... who WRITES these things anyway!
love the quote, which George Harrison purloined.
ReplyDeletecute bird.
ROG, ABC wednesday team
Superb photos of this bird.
ReplyDeleteNeat and Nifty, I like that! I have seen this bird in England and the white breasted Nuthatch here in our yard. I love the way they spiral up the trees.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely birds and the first bird species I learned how to identify as a child.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your help with my bird ID!
Do they run down, head first, along their tree's trunks and big branches? If yes, I know who their German counterpart are. If not, they are unique and just look similar to the Kleiber.
ReplyDeleteSadly, Sp, I've never seen a Hoopoe. They do occasionally visit S Wengland but I don't think they make it up North very often.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if stoats hunt them, Ann. But we do have stoats and they hunt almost anything they can find.
Yes, Librarian, they do run up and down the tree trunks, not dissimilar to the way a Treecreeper does.
Cracking set of photos CJ. Delamere or the Caravan?
ReplyDeleteCute shots and beautiful birds!
ReplyDeleteThey were all taken from the caravan we used to have on the Lleyn peninsula, GB. I have some I took in Delamere in the days of 'proper' cameras but they were not so close or so clear.
ReplyDeleteNifty captures!
ReplyDeleteNostalgic, is one of my ABC entries. Come by any time you get a chance. Have a great day!
Simply adorable and what fantastic shots!!
ReplyDeleteN is for...
Great shots, captures their personality, such a pretty little bird.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how you managed to take such beautiful pictures of this little bird ! and it didn't even fly away !!
ReplyDeletehe is adorable...
ReplyDeleteStellar photos of these chubby little sharp-beaked birds.
ReplyDeleteI love your nuthatch shots...lovely!
ReplyDelete