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This is the first time we've seen a nuthatch in the garden and in twenty
odd years I remember seeing the species in the nearby wood only once,
although we have seen them probing crevices in the bark of the boughs
and trunks of the mature trees in local parks, such as at Thornhill.
Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk |
A
dull morning with rain from the east leaving silver drops all over the
patio windows but amongst the usual crowd on the bird feeders - goldfinches
and great, willow, coal and blue tits - there's a new species: a nuthatch.
It's
slaty grey on the back, pinky buff beneath, and it has a neat black eye-stripe.
It reminds me of a small woodpecker in its wedge-shaped silhouette, its
chisel-shaped dagger of a bill and the way moves, both while perching
and in its dipping, direct flight-path.
It
flies back and forth at intervals for much of the day to the sunflower
hearts on the tray attached to the bird feeder. I don't normally put anything
on the tray because the wood pigeon used to come and
fill its crop but I'm going to keep it stocked up now as I'd love to have
this dapper bird as a regular visitor.