Nuthatch Babies!

This past Saturday afternoon I met some friends for pizza and beer on the east side of the Sandia mountains. It’s fun to spend time with friends whom you have originally met online and later meet in person. These friends–Rich, Gin, Marlita, Eric and Wendy–are even nicer and more fun in person than they are online. After we finished our lunch, Rich and Gin invited us to their lovely place in a rural residential area. Their garden area reminded me of the birding venues in Arizona where people open their homes to birders and allow them to sit in their yards and gardens to photograph birds. The major attraction for me was a large gourd containing a White-breasted Nuthatch nest.

Both parents were very diligent in attending to the nest. We could hear that there were chicks in the nest, but we were not able to see into the gourd. We were really anxious to get a look at the chicks.

Talking to the chicks in the nest.

A morsel for hungry chicks.

A morsel for hungry babies, another view.

One parent goes into the nest …

… and emerges from the nest carrying a fecal sac for disposal.

The parents work hard all afternoon, hunting to feed their chicks.

A Western Wood-Pewee watched from a nearby tree.

A Western Wood-Pewee keeps its eye on the scene.

A nuthatch parent returns to the nest with more food for the chicks.

For the first time we get a glimpse of one of the chicks.

White-breasted Nuthatch parent and chick.

The parent emerges with more waste.

This tiny, still-blind, chick was not ready for the parent to leave, and noisily demanded more food.

Tiny, blind nuthatch chick.

It called for the parents while they hunted …

The tiny chick continues to call for the parents.

… and was joined by a second chick.

We were finally able to see two chicks. Wonder if there are more?

What good nuthatch parents!

A good nuthatch parent!

I hope I can go back to take more photos when the chicks are a bit bigger!

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