Red-breasted Nuthatch in the Targhee National ForestRed-breasted Nuthatch in the Targhee National Forest – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 500, DX mode, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I’m posting just a simple Red-breasted Nuthatch image today that I photographed earlier this week in the Targhee National Forest in eastern Idaho. This nuthatch and its mate hung around the sapsucker nesting tree and I loved hearing their calls echoing in the aspens and conifers in the area.

Both the male and female excavate nesting cavities but usually the female does more of the work. Red-breasted Nuthatches place sticky resin around the nesting cavities entrance, the male places it on the outside and the female on the inside. It is thought that the resin is placed there to keep out predators or competitors for the nesting cavity. This pair seemed intent on taking over the new nesting cavity that the male Williamson’s Sapsucker was excavating.

Red-breasted Nuthatches are tiny at only 4.3 inches in length and weighing only 0.3-0.5 ounces.

I’ll be interested to see if they will still be hanging around the aspen nesting cavity tree the next time I head up that way.

Life is good.

Mia