One of the birds I was looking forward to seeing in Canada was the White-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). As a kid in the UK seeing the European Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) was always a source of excitement. I believe this species has expanded its range in the UK in recent years and is now more 'visible' than in the past - but we have no nuthatches in Australia so I was keen to catch up with one.
The White-Breasted Nuthatch is the largest nuthatch in North America. This species is found in much of southern Canada, most of the United States and areas of Mexico. This species shows a good deal of variation over its range and it has been suggested that it is in fact not a single species, but four separate species. At present this suggestion has not been accepted by the taxonomic powers that be.
As you can see from these pictures this is a species that will readily come to bird tables and feeding stations - so maybe this weeks WBW should really be called Partially Wild Bird Wednesday!
We are experiencing some terribly hot weather here, so I is very nice to see some pictures from a much cooler time and place!
As ever, to join in with WBW, click on the link below. Cheers SM
You made a friend, Stewart! Thank you for hosting. Aloha!
ReplyDeleteDavid is a great person. Another gorgeous series of captures, Stewart. Thank you so much for sharing ❤️ 💕
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteLovely shots - all the fancy birds are good and fine, but the down-home stalwarts are worth celebrating too! YAM xx
There was one on my bird feeders a while ago, Stewart. Very cold conditions here, so they no doubt appreciate the buffet.
ReplyDeleteI saw one here a few years ago. It is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with a partially wild bird when they’re this photogenic!
ReplyDeletecute little bird....
ReplyDeletegreat that wild bird comes to your hand for food......
Never seen this Nuthatch and there are still no Nuthatches in N.Ireland although now we have great spotted Woodpeckers. Some day they will make the journey over. Great shots of this little bird Stewart. Thanks for hosting and commenting. Have a good week ahead
ReplyDeleteBeautiful nuthatch! We have them in Virginia, but I’ve never had one come up to my hand.
ReplyDeleteA slightly different bird than ours, but a beautiful little bird.
ReplyDeleteThose are gorgeous close-ups of the White-breasted Nuthatches, Stewart! I'm so happy for you that you also got to go birding with David. When were you there? Shortly after us? (We were in Ontario in September 2025.)
ReplyDeleteWe also have nuthatches in some places in our riparian forests. I now know roughly where to look. They are very shy, but I occasionally manage to get a photo – for example, here in this post: https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2021/02/zwei-ausfluge-und-ein-blumchenkleid.html
I'll get into the habit of bringing some food with me in the future, like David does 😉...
All the best from Austria, Traude
What a delightful encounter. The White-Breasted Nuthatch is such a charming bird, and your photos really capture its character. I love how you connect it to your childhood memories in the UK; it makes the experience feel personal and full of wonder.
ReplyDeleteLove the nuthatches, and we got 2 varieties here over the winter.
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