Tag Archives: Pygmy Nuthatch

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A group Pygmy Nuthatches has been arriving at dusk, and leaving at dawn, from a birdhouse outside Rick's and my home in Anchor Bay. They have been doing so for two or so months. There were eight to start, and then seven for some weeks. Last week there were eight again, and yesterday there were seven. Here's a close-up of Pygmy Nuthatch for you to see, taken some years ago by the late Ron LeValley. Ron was always so generous sharing his photos with us.

This morning they were very late in leaving. I set my iPhone up on a tripod and video through the window, so the quality isn't great, that's for sure. But you still can get a feeling for what it's like to see them exit every morning. But it was raining hard this morn, and the wind was fierce. Being in the open wasn't very appealing as this video shows.

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As I reported in my other post, we have received a little over four fabulous inches of early rain, a real blessing. Tomorrow I will report on the status of the seasonal creek that crosses our land. Perhaps it came to life???

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Pygmy Nuthatches are tiny birds. Just look at this cute one Ron Bolander recently photographed next to a cone!

The group of Pygmy Nuthatches, now numbering seven, continues to spend the night inside a birdhouse at Rick's and my place in Anchor Bay. Here is a video of them coming in for the night. Click on the blue letters and numbers below.

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They arrive at dusk and leave at first light...unless they hear Ravens. Then the become silent and wait inside until the danger has passed over them. Seeing them each day reminds me the days are getting shorter.

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

The fog has disappeared and warm weather is moving in!

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First, here's a look at one of my favorite birds, photographed by Ron Bolander earlier this year.

I had had two clutches of these small birds this year, and the second clutch fledged about two weeks ago. What I didn't know is the entire family comes back to the birdhouse and rests in there overnight, leaving just after dawn. Since the birdhouse is just outside our bedroom window, the sounds of their chirping wake me up. And then I get to see this magic happen! You'll want to count how many pop out.

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If you'd like to listen to these cute and vocal birds, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pygmy_Nuthatch/sounds

I just learned this from that site: "They survive cold nights by sheltering themselves in tree cavities, huddling together, and letting their body temperature drop into hypothermia. They and the unrelated Vaux's Swift are the only bird species in North America that combine those three energy-saving mechanisms." Wow! Tree cavities or a nesting box outside the window.

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

Foggy on the immediate coast, but warm a little ways inland. It's in the low 70's here in Anchor Bay today. Thank you, fog, for keeping us cool.

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Bill Clark recently photographed this Pygmy Nuthatch.

 

These birds travel in flocks and you can hear them coming with their piping calls. They come to our birdbath in the heat of the day. You can listen to their call here: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pygmy_Nuthatch/sounds

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website describes their calls like a rubber ducky being squeezed repeatedly. Funny!

Here's a photo taken by Ron LeValley showing how these birds travel down a tree head-first, searching for insects and seeds.

I love these tiny, energetic birds, and often see them in the fall when we have our warmer weather. And I hear them in the trees too, many times accompanied by Chickadees.

Thanks to Bill and Ron for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, here is his website: http://levalleyphoto.com/home/

The fog returned this morning, so our latest heat wave is over! We love our natural air conditioning, the fog.

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Ron LeValley recently photographed a Pygmy Nuthatch characteristically moving head-first down the trunk of a Pine tree.

Ron says, "Creepers go up the trees and Nuthatches go down!" I asked him what the Nuthatch does when it reaches the bottom. Ron replied, "It flies up to the top and heads down again." They are, of course, looking for insects and seeds on the tree.

Their call is quite distinctive and you can hear it on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website at this link: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pygmy_Nuthatch/sounds

Thanks to Ron for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Ron's wonderful photography, here is his website: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/