The Nuthatch is Back

After another night of rain (which is desperately needed here in northern California), I woke this morning to sunshine and birdsong. I went outside to see if I could capture the images of some of my feathered neighbors, and before I even left the porch I spotted a bird that I haven’t seen in months.

This White-breasted Nuthatch always hangs around the same area, but I haven’t seen it for quite some time. It is the largest nuthatch, and a noisy, year-round resident. My schedule has changed, and the weather has been much different from last year’s. So even though we haven’t met of late, I’m certain it has been doing its usual thing.

What a treat to have good light and active songbirds all at the same time. The new leaves are out on the oaks, and the insect supply is abundant. Late winter feels more like early spring, no matter what the Pennsylvanian groundhog has to say about it.