Red-breasted Nuthatch nesting

[gordo]

I heard a knocking sound and thought it was a woodpecker. Turned out it was this little guy preparing its nest.

• NIKON CORPORATION - COOLPIX P950
• 170.0 mm
• ƒ/5.59999990463
• 1/500 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• 0.3
• ISO 320

 

[Dino26323]

Fantastic. We have nuthatchers locally and they are actually quite curious and will come quite close to my camera.

Great capture.

Regards Dino26323

 

[Joe Trimarchi]

I heard a knocking sound and thought it was a woodpecker. Turned out it was this little guy preparing its nest.

View attachment 14107

Nice shot. Did you get to see the whole bird? I ask because you heard knocking and thought it was a Woodpecker and I also think it may be a Female Downey Woodpecker. The hole in the tree certainly looks like it was made by a Woodpecker and the Downey is about that size. Good shooting.

 

[gordo]

Yes I saw the whole bird and it was a Nuthatch. Their head feathers are very similar - something I hadn't noticed before.

Here for comparison is a Red-breasted Nuthatch:

• NIKON CORPORATION - COOLPIX P950
• 357.0 mm
• ƒ/6.5
• 1/100 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• -0.3
• ISO 400

And here's a Downey woodpecker:

• NIKON CORPORATION - COOLPIX P950
• 116.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/320 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• ISO 400

 

[Joe Trimarchi]

OK. I can see it was a Nuthatch and it was 2 white stripes with a black one between that made me think it was a Downey and of course the little hole in the tree that Woodpeckers are known for.

 

[gordo]

Went back this morning in better weather and this confirms it:

• NIKON CORPORATION - COOLPIX P950
• 357.0 mm
• ƒ/6.5
• 1/500 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• ISO 100

 

[1971_M5]

GREAT shots.

 

[PentUp]

These are great Gordo