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This is a first! Red-breasted nuthatch! (1 Viewer)

JMomOhio

Well-known member
This little bird kept zipping in and out of the feeder in the past few weeks and finally I got a good view of what it was and checked my bird book to see what it was. A red-breasted nuthatch!! I was so excited!! I've never had one at my feeders before, only the white breasted ones. These are smaller and very pretty! I hope it stays around!! I also saw my first Junco for the season. We get them every year and it's always a sign that winter is getting closer.

Julie
 

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This is turning out to be an irruption year for the Red-breasted Nuthatch. I'm still waiting to see one. Congrats!
 
I'm still trying to get a better picture! My neighbors have them at their feeders too! Are they just migrating thru or do you think they'll stay? I'm in Ohio!
 
Red-breasted Nuthatches live mainly far North, and they technically have wintered throughout the lower 48 states. But like KC said, this year has been a major irruption for not only nuthatches, but a lot of northerly living species, such as finches, redpolls, crossbills, etc. Red-breasted Nuthatches have become very common throughout the Midwest this Fall, and many people (including myself) think they will stay all Winter.

So I wouldn't be surprised if you had several nuthatches stay around all winter. ;)
 
That would be fantastic!! I had rose-breasted grosbeaks this spring and they just stopped by briefly a few weeks ago during their migration.

Thanks for the reply!
 
Nuthatches in Texas

There have been sightings of Red-breasted Nuthatches all over southeast Texas this past week. We finally got one in our front yard (Cypress, Houston) this weekend.

A major cold front arrived a couple of hours ago and so now we'll be looking for the first of our normal winter visitors.

Jeff
 
I also had my first two Red-breasted Nuthatches in NJ this weekend. Plus a Dark-eyed Junco. Starting off very well this Fall. I hope to see many more new birds in the backyard throughout the Fall & Winter. Very exciting!
 
JMOM, I am in western Upstate NY, near Buffalo, NY, about 30 miles from the Canadian border.

I live in a rural area on what was once a family-sized dairy farm, now retired.

Red-Breasted Nuthatches are an irruptive species for my area and I am delighted to tell you that I, too, have them this year at my birdfeeders!

I read a report earlier this year explaining that the reason for all the irruptive species sightings this year in the States, is that the pinecone seed crop in eastern Canada was poor this year and the birds thet feed on them are moving further south than they normally would to find new food sources.

So far this Fall at my birdfeeders, I have had Red-Breasted Nuthatches, Pine siskins, Evening grosbeaks, all irruptive species for my area.

I have also read of nearby sightings of Red Crossbills and Common Redpolls.

Birdwatcher
 
Very nice

It's always exciting when a new bird shows up. BTW, I like that feeder design. Looks like it would be good for keeping the squirrels from chewing up the plastic which has been a problem for me. I'll have to keep my eyes open for something similar.
 
Julie, we have had Red-breasted Nuthatches coming to our feeder for a couple of weeks. Once they do visit, they do seem to stay around for "the duration". To see a photo of one of them that has been visiting out yard, click here.
 
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