Pygmy Nuthatch Near Princeton, BC.

 

The first Pygmy Nuthatch I ever saw.

There are four kinds of nuthatches in North America.  I have seen three of them.  Most commonly I see the red breasted nuthatch, an energetic little bird that works its way around pine and other coniferous trees in small groups.  I see the occasional white breasted one, but it wasn't until I was camping near Princeton, BC, that I caught sight of the pygmy nuthatch.  The fourth type, the brown headed nuthatch, I have never seen.

Nuthatches always work their way down a trunk, although I have seen them on branches and at the end of limbs in just about every position you can imagine.  They typically make a quiet short ratcheting sound; I have never heard one singing the traditional sense. It always pleases me though to hear a group of them foraging, their little sound generators buzzing with activity.

As I was walking along a trail, nearly finished my hike, a small bird swept past me at about eye level.  The gray and white streak was an unfamiliar experience, and as I examined the area I discovered the creature that had so disrupted my walk.  Unbeknownst to me, it was my first encounter with a pygmy nuthatch.  I recognized it as a nuthatch because of its size, habits, and general shape.  This is an important point, as it can be very difficult to identify a bird if you cannot determine basic tenants such as size, colour, and body type.  However, the clear separation of dorsal (top) and ventral (bottom) halves with the transition occurring right through the eye led me to only one conclusion.

I watched it for a while as it foraged over the bark of the tree and limbs; it did not seem too concerned about my presence and I managed to get a nice shot of it.  I did not identify it until later when I viewed the images on my computer back at camp.  I keep a number of bird books with me and read up on my find.  Nuthatches tend to be gregarious in nature and often keep together in small groups.  When evening comes pygmy nuthatches may all go back to some secluded place and roost together.  Apparently, they may all enter the same birdhouse to retire for the evening.  Imagine finding a group of these creatures all snuggled up in such a tiny space.

Princeton is about 3 hours away from where I live; it is nice that you don't have to travel too terribly far to discover creatures that don't live in your area.  I will have to spend more time venturing about looking for such finds.  I wonder what other discoveries await?

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com   Eric Svendsen

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