Nuthatch spotting on Hampstead Heath

The Nuthatch is a small agile and common bird,

but also one which is hard to photograph.
Panasonic G9, Lumix Leica Elmarit 200/2.8

Despite this blog being about my back garden I do occasionally get out to other places to watch and photograph birds, most recently on Hampstead Heath.

One bird which caught my attention on a visit to Hampstead Heath a week ago was a Nuthatch. This is a tiny bird, about the size of a sparrow, but much more streamlined and with beautiful blue coat and light brown chest. I had never seen one in the wild before that time and today, when I returned to the heath, I was determined to see and photograph one. I was not expecting what turned out to be assistance in my quest.

I'd been told that nuthatches convene near the 'Bird Bridge' in the centre of the heath and I headed towards it. I was lucky to arrive at the same time as a regular visitor: a woman who comes most days and feeds the birds at the bridge. She must be recognised because even before she appeared the bird activity increased and I suddenly saw multiple Robins, Coal Tits, Great Tits and... what I was waiting for... a Nuthatch!

The reason for the sudden convening of these birds appeared, a small woman dispensing nuts and porridge oats. When I talked to her she said she has been doing this for nearly 30 years, on and off. She is adept at getting the nuthatches to catch the peanuts in mid-flight - although I found this impossible to photograph!

Nuthatch anticipating the peanuts and porridge

that will be coming its way.

Thanks to her efforts I was able to capture a classic nuthatch photo, with a peanut in its long beak.

Nuthatch with peanut: quite possibly my best bird photograph of the year, to date.

She told me that the other birds take the peanuts and eat them, but nuthatches tend to hide the treats for a later feast.

'Take-away', the Nuthatches prefer to hide the peanuts to eat later on rather than consume them immediately.

Other birds are also attracted to the free lunch that is dispensed. In this case a tiny Coal Tit. They find it hard to fly with the peanut and try to eat it on the ground.

A tiny Coal Tit is attracted to the peanut but finds it hard to fly with it.



In this particular case the bird was frightened away by an altogether more sinister visitor which was also attracted to the food.



A rat also on the prowl for some food.

In the end though, the star of the morning for me was being able to observe and photograph Nuthatches. Brightly coloured, excellent tree climbers, careful and intelligent about their food, they certainly made my trek across Hampstead Heath worthwhile today. I went home satisfied that I have captured some great moments with them - thanks to the 'Nuthatch' lady.

Agile and colourful, especially at negotiating tree with their long claws.

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