A woodpecker that is not a woodpecker (1 Viewer)

[John Fordham]

My second question in 2-3 days.
Recently, whilst driving from Atlanta to Savannah in Georgia, I stopped off for a break in Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge hoping to see a Pileated Woodpecker. I strolled in the woods to the area which these woodpeckers were known to inhabit and waited around...

... and waiting around ...

... then I heard tapping in the wood of the tree just above where I was sitting and thought "Yippee". I espied the bird which was rather small. Luckily, a local couple came along and I borrowed their binoculars to have a look. Was obviously not a pileated woodpecker. In fact, didn't look like a woodpecker at all although acted like one. It was grey in colour and I'm sure I noticed a pale yellow patch below the head. I tried taking a few pictures (best two attached) but quality is not high :

1. the bird with it's head cocked to one side
2. with it's head down the hole it (???) had made

I went to the Park Headquarters and asked them. They didn't know what it could be. Has anyone any ideas which bird acts like a woodpecker but isn't one?

 

[Andrew Rowlands]

That's one of the nuthatches John.

I'm not sure which species but I assume that, like their European cousins, they don't excavate their own nests but use ready-made cavities.

Cheers,

Andy.

 

[prairiemerlin]

Nice Brown-headed Nuthatch, John. They are fairly common in the south. Take a look at this picture of a Brown-headed Nutatch:

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/nimages/ornith/gallery/NUTHBRHR.JPG

 

[John Fordham]

Many thanks.