A Well-Hidden White-Breasted Nuthatch on the Tuolumne River

One of the most elusive of the birds I search for on the Tuolumne River. It's not that they are rare. They're found throughout our county on a regular basis. And many savvy birders hear them before they find them, because they can be noisemakers. But I never seem to spy them on my daily walks, even though I know they are there, up in the big oaks along the river. It was June before I saw my first one of the year, and until today I hadn't seen one since September.

I've been running across all kinds of interesting birds over the last week or two, with three species reported for the first time ever (three kinds of ducks passing through the area), and a very rare winter visitor, a pair of Hooded Orioles. Today was a nice surprise, as I heard an unfamiliar ruckus in the oak tree. After a few minutes, I spotted the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinesis) working its way down the trunk of the oak tree.

Now if I could just find that elusive Red-breasted Nuthatch!

Living Life Upside Down: White-breasted Nuthatch on the Merced River

This best picture of the day is courtesy of Mrs. Geotripper

Some birds are a real challenge to photograph, for all kinds of reasons. In the case of the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), its a case of a bird in constant motion. Mrs. Geotripper and I were out and about this morning, exploring the lower reaches of the Merced River where it flows into the Great Valley. We stopped at Merced Falls and Henderson Park near Snelling, a section of river that was devastated by gold dredging activity in the first half of the 1900s. Most of the riparian habitat was ripped out in the search for the elusive metal.

Luckily, seventy years has brought about a return of some of the native vegetation, and a few areas along the river could even be called scenic. The birds were a bit scarce, but when we were leaving Henderson Park, I spotted a small whitish bird in the corner of my eye. We stopped and realized there were two White-breasted Nuthatches chasing about in the trees. I took the one on the left, and Mrs. Geotripper sought out the one on the right. She was closer and got the better shot.

I'm amazed how little time these birds spend right side up. They walk up and down tree trunks looking for small insects, and breaking open nuts of various kinds (an action from which they derive their name). The birds are found all over North America, including Mexico and southern Canada. Good luck catching them not moving though!

White-breasted Nuthatch on the Tuolumne River Parkway Trail

Just two pictures today, of a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) on the Tuolumne River Parkway trail that's under construction in my little town on the edge of the Sierra Nevada. It's only two pictures (and only one that's clear), because the small bird never stops for a moment as it searches the branches for tidbits of food. I love how they tend to defy gravity as they walk upside down on the tree branches, but I wish they would stop and pose for a moment.

It's funny how I'll see birds in some exotic location, in this case up in the Sierra Nevada at Lake Tahoe, and at Mammoth Lakes, and then come home and a few weeks later see the same bird practically in my own backyard.

White-breasted Nuthatch at Twin Lakes, Sierra Nevada

We're going back to the beginning of the summer, as I have a big backlog of pictures from six weeks on the road. In early June, we were on our way home from Death Valley and Grand Canyon, and after some very hot days in the desert, we wanted to be someplace cooler. We ended up at Mammoth Lakes, and in the morning we wandered about the shores of Twin Lakes above the town. Several birds were out and about, including a little White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis).

It was fast moving, but I was lucky to get a few clear shots in. They are very acrobatic, walking upside-down, right-side up, and everything in between. It was presumably searching for some spring grubs and insects (we were at 9,000 feet, but there had been so little snow that spring had come early).

Twin Lakes are two only slightly separated glacial basins. There is a marvelous view of Crystal Crag and Twin Falls at the upper end of the lakes. Mammoth Mountain, a huge composite volcano is on the northern edge of the lake. It's a fascinating place to visit.

Bird of the Day: White-breasted Nuthatch at Lake Tahoe

Once again, being a rank amateur has its benefits. I get to identify new birds all the time, and today was no exception. I was scouting out a trip I'm taking tomorrow to teach some geology at Lake Tahoe. We stopped at Chimney Beach on the east shore at Lake Tahoe State Park and I was wandering down the trail seemingly surrounded by birds, all of whom were darting quickly from one branch to another. I finally caught a few images of a White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). The species is widespread across North America, but I've not seen them in my normal haunts yet.

According to my sources, the name comes from their practice of putting seeds or nuts into cracks in the bark of trees and pounding until they can get to the interior ("hatching" the seed).