Garden Birds

[Pedro vanman]

Hi All
While doing a delivery to a cottage on the country the other day i was offered a cup of coffee. Just outside the kitchen window was a birdtable and feeders etc.On these feeders were Blue tits, Great tits, a nuthatch and a Marsh tit (first for me).
The curious thing is with the nuthatch is that despite being a keen angler and bird watcher i have never seen a nuthatch anywhere other than on a peanut feeder.I just wondered if anyone has any comment on this.
happy birding
Peter :hippy:

[ralph]

Yeah, I have a comment Peter ...

... You need to get out more, mate!

Get down the local park. Spend hours there. You'll no doubt come across loads of the little chaps Listen out for the 'thrip, thrip, thrip' - more chance of hearing them than seeing them.

:t:

[mkdon]

I am not sure if the if the bird we call a nuthatch in USA is the same as what you call a nuthatch, but here in PA we have the white-breasted nuthatch and they do love peanuts. They also come to a suet feeder as well as sunflower seeds. It is mainly a forest bird and they usually hang onto a treetrunk head down. Is that the same bird as you are discussing?

[Andrew]

Mkdon, Could be the same bird, ours is bluish grey in the upperparts with rufuous reddish underparts and white cheeks with a strong black or dark blue supercilium complemented by a strong bill for pecking tree trunks.

Pedro, Nuthatches are easy to see in woodland parks with feeders hung up in winter. Hello from another keen angler too, do you have the same problem of not concentrating on the fishing and watching the birds instead. It's a bane when I'm fishing club matches!

[cjay]

Another Scarce bird in Suffolk. Since the 87 Gales they have plummeted.

One seen at Minsmere the other day on nut feeders.
CJ

[Pedro vanman]

Hi All
Ralph,I know what you mean about getting out more.what with work and fishing i don't seem to get much time.Although i do get to see some interesting birds while fishing eg: Treecreepers,Kingfishers (one working from a bush not 3 metres from me),all 3 woodpeckers,blackcaps and long tailed tits to name but a few.one lake that i used to fish had a resident pair of tawny owls and one day had a great northern diver(immature) on it.
Andrew. I no longer fish matches but go tench and barbel fishing so i get time to gaze around at the birdlife etc.
Thank you to Mkdon and jacobc for your replies.
happy birding
Peter

[LMG]

We have plenty of nuthatches in Somerset. They always nest in one of my boxes. They are easy to spot because they are usually quite vocal and always feed facing downwards on the feeders.