Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea

The lovely Eurasian Nuthatch - Sitta europaea - is also known as the Wood Nuthatch or just simply the Nuthatch. There are more than 20 subspecies in three groups, those being the Russian which have whitish underparts, the Eastern which are the same as the Western but lacking the white throat and this, the Western which has both the white throat and the orange buff underparts. Contrary to their name, they eat mostly insects, particularly caterpillars and beetles, although in autumn and winter they supplement their diet with seeds and nuts. They also hoard food for use in winter. Laying 6-9 eggs, they mainly nest in tree holes, often old woodpecker nests where, if the entrance is too big, they will make it smaller with mud for protection. This one, because it has paler colours, is either a juvenile or a female (I would think juvenile but ...). It was seen searching for insects on an old fence post near Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Merseyside.

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