Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
Once we called this bird the Canada Nuthatch or Red-Bellied Nuthatch. We can find Red-Breasted Nuthatches across North America’s sub-alpine conifer forests. In winter, these birds earn their “nuthatch” moniker, eating mainly seeds. When a seed is too large to consume, they will place it in a crevice and hammer on it with their bill to break it into manageable pieces. However, when nesting and raising their young, insect prey is their primary food source.
This bird was first described to Western Science by a French zoologist in 1760 from a specimen collected in Canada. The common name has changed over the years since, but the scientific name (Sitta canadensis) has stuck. Changes in taxonomic nomenclature are seemingly in fashion over recent years. We revise names for family, genus and species classifications, so this longevity is a remarkable fact.
Despite their wide range, science views these birds as monotypic (i.e. there are no recognised subspecies).
I have enjoyed meeting Red-Breasted Nuthatches in Canada, and several western states. Including in my southern California yard and nearby mountains. Other meetings have been in the eastern Sierra-Nevada Mountains, Oregon and Wyoming. I enjoy hearing the calls of these birds, which are reminiscent of toy horns.
34 Photos
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Margaret Flemming Nature Trail (Torrey Pines State Park). Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:14 11:12 |
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Location:
Torrey Pines Extension |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X1426-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Margaret Flemming Nature Trail (Torrey Pines State Park). Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:14 11:12 |
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Location:
Torrey Pines Extension |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X1430-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Margaret Flemming Nature Trail (Torrey Pines State Park). Del Mar, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:14 11:44 |
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Location:
Torrey Pines Extension |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: D3X1469-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Near Whitegrass Ranch Road off the Moose-Wilson Road in Teton National Park north of Jackson Wyoming. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:17 11:36 |
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Location:
Whitegrass Ranch Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X3273-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:24 8:40 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X8157-RedBreastedNutHatch |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: These birds are easily found when crossing the Siskiyou Mountains from the Applegate Valley to Mount Ashland Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2015:06:11 10:54 |
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Location:
Siskiyou Mountains |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X9767-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Kootenay River, Brithish Columbia, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:30 12:56 |
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Location:
Kootenay Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD2722RedBreastedNutHatch |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Red-breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Another nice meeting near the Kootenay River, British Columbia, Canada. |
Date Taken: 2005:05:30 12:59 |
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Location:
Kootenay Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/160 |
File Name: JCD2744RedBreastedNutHatch |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:13 8:53 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X3653-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:13 10:34 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X4048-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: The Springs at Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:13 13:04 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/40 |
File Name: D3X4556-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: At the 'Springs' on Santa Rosa Mountain. Elevation 7400' on southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:08:30 11:54 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/60 |
File Name: D3X8988-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Earthquake Fault landmark in Mammoth California in the eastern Sierra Nevadas. |
Date Taken: 2017:07:08 8:27 |
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Location:
Earthquake Fault |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X8049 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Tioga Pass (9,943 feet) is the highest road crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. To the west is Yosemite National Park and to the east is Lee Vining Creek in Mono County California. |
Date Taken: 2017:07:15 9:53 |
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Location:
Tioga Pass |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X9037 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: (ISO-45600) It was nearly dark when I took these images, but the high ISO used degraded the image quality. Side road camping on National Forest Road (NF-32) north of Fort Klamath Oregon. Klamath County. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:01 17:45 |
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Location:
Fort Klamath |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X9337-FortKlamath |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: (ISO-25600) It was nearly dark when I took these images, but the high ISO used degraded the image quality. Side road camping on National Forest Road (NF-32) north of Fort Klamath Oregon. Klamath County. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:01 17:48 |
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Location:
Fort Klamath |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X9343-FortKlamath |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: The toy-horn calls of these birds were heard all along the road on the Siskiyou Summit Road (FS-20) between Ashland and Applegate. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:06 11:38 |
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Location:
Siskiyou Summit |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X0320-SiskiyouSummit |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: The toy-horn calls of these birds were heard all along the road on the Siskiyou Summit Road (FS-20) between Ashland and Applegate. |
Date Taken: 2019:08:06 11:39 |
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Location:
Siskiyou Summit |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X0338-SiskiyouSummit |
| © 2019 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: (ISO-25600) It was nearly dark when I took these images, but the high ISO used degraded the image quality. Side road camping on National Forest Road (NF-32) north of Fort Klamath Oregon. Klamath County. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:01 17:48 |
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Location:
Lake Abert |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X9351-FortKlamath |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Earthquake Fault landmark in Mammoth California in the eastern Sierra Nevadas. |
Date Taken: 2017:07:08 8:27 |
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Location:
Earthquake Fault |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X8033 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Earthquake Fault landmark in Mammoth California in the eastern Sierra Nevadas. |
Date Taken: 2017:07:08 8:22 |
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Location:
Earthquake Fault |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X7970 |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: At the 'Springs' on Santa Rosa Mountain. Elevation 7400' on southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:08:30 11:55 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/40 |
File Name: D3X9006-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: At the 'Springs' on Santa Rosa Mountain. Elevation 7400' on southern Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:08:30 15:23 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/100 |
File Name: D3X9388-RedBreastedNuthatch |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: In 2005, I visited Fort Nelson’s Fort Nelson Demonstration Forest and met my first Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers. Now in 2022, one of the birds that cooperated with my efforts to gather images was this Red-Breasted Nuthatch |
Date Taken: 2022:06:05 9:11 |
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Location:
Fort Nelson Demonstration Forest |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_8507241-FortNelson.BC_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: In 2005, I visited Fort Nelson’s Fort Nelson Demonstration Forest and met my first Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers. Now in 2022, one of the birds that cooperated with my efforts to gather images was this Red-Breasted Nuthatch |
Date Taken: 2022:06:05 9:11 |
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Location:
Fort Nelson Demonstration Forest |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_8507232-FortNelson.BC_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: When I heard the toy trumpet calls of Red-Breasted Nuthatches near my camp at Lake Wallowa near Joseph Oregon, I knew I would enjoy my stay. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:22 10:26 |
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Location:
Lake Wallowa |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: RedbreastedNuthatch_8503488-WallowaLake |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: When I heard the toy trumpet calls of Red-Breasted Nuthatches near my camp at Lake Wallowa near Joseph Oregon, I knew I would enjoy my stay. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:22 10:23 |
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Location:
Lake Wallowa |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: RedbreastedNuthatch_8503470-WallowaLake |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: When I heard the toy trumpet calls of Red-Breasted Nuthatches near my camp at Lake Wallowa near Joseph Oregon, I knew I would enjoy my stay. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:22 10:19 |
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Location:
Lake Wallowa |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/800 |
File Name: RedbreastedNuthatch_8503403-WallowaLake |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: Before I pulled into Harrisonburg VA, I scouted the region for promising locations to find birds. There were three places that seemed worth visiting. The third was Switzer Lake, about twenty-one miles up US-33 heading into the Allegheny Mountains, and less than 2 miles from the West Virginia border. |
Date Taken: 2023:06:19 12:52 |
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Location:
Switzer Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_Z9X0846_SwitzerLake-VA |
| © 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: Before I pulled into Harrisonburg VA, I scouted the region for promising locations to find birds. There were three places that seemed worth visiting. The third was Switzer Lake, about twenty-one miles up US-33 heading into the Allegheny Mountains, and less than 2 miles from the West Virginia border. |
Date Taken: 2023:06:19 12:51 |
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Location:
Switzer Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_Z9X0749_SwitzerLake-VA |
| © 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: Before I pulled into Harrisonburg VA, I scouted the region for promising locations to find birds. There were three places that seemed worth visiting. The third was Switzer Lake, about twenty-one miles up US-33 heading into the Allegheny Mountains, and less than 2 miles from the West Virginia border. |
Date Taken: 2023:06:19 12:46 |
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Location:
Switzer Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_Z9X0734_SwitzerLake-VA |
| © 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: Before I pulled into Harrisonburg VA, I scouted the region for promising locations to find birds. There were three places that seemed worth visiting. The third was Switzer Lake, about twenty-one miles up US-33 heading into the Allegheny Mountains, and less than 2 miles from the West Virginia border. |
Date Taken: 2023:06:19 12:45 |
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Location:
Switzer Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_Z9X0629_SwitzerLake-VA |
| © 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
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Description: I could hear nuthatches during my vigil, but this one was the only one to show his face. I drove to the Sandia Crest (elevation 10,600') outside of Albuquerque, to discover what high elevation birds I might encounter. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:16 9:35 |
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Location:
Sandia Crest |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X7208-SandiaCrest |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis) |
|
Description: I could hear nuthatches during my vigil, but this one was the only one to show his face. I drove to the Sandia Crest (elevation 10,600') outside of Albuquerque, to discover what high elevation birds I might encounter. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:16 9:35 |
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Location:
Sandia Crest |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: RedBreastedNuthatch_D5X7213-SandiaCrest |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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