I am thrilled. At first glance I had no idea what it was I was hearing; it
looked about the size of a brown creeper, but in the shaded crook of a limb, I
could not see the color clearly. But when I got my binocs and it moved into
the sunshine, I could clearly see the pretty brown head and white patch on the
neck, the lower part of its face was whiter than the breast and belly. It's
call matched the ki-dee-dee as the book says also. When it started pecking
like a woodpecker, I knew it had to be a brown-headed nuthatch. My first!
This
was about 11 am Sunday morning in Mathews County (Middle Peninsula) near the
confluence of the North River and Black Creek. The weather was sunny, warm
and calm enough for short-sleeves. About 30 minutes later the wind picked up.
I
saw only one bird. It was searching in the bark of a dead pine tree on our
lot beside the driveway. All the neighbors want to cut that dead tree down,
but
I like it because it is the only tree I can see clearly out our front door to
watch the sparrows, bluebirds and finches that frequent it. Just this past
Thursday, two other trees were felled out of necessity, but I said no to that
one. I feel I was rewarded. Are these b-h nuthatches common in that area? I
am fairly new to that area and to birding and was reluctant to post this even
though I am sure what I saw.
Edith Bradbury
Alexandria, VA
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