Hatching the Nut (+ Repost)

Apparently, Nuthatches were given their English name because of their habit of wedging large food items in crevices and then hacking at them with their strong bills.

This White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is in the process of doing exactly that. The morsel of its choice is a sunflower seed. It's extracting the kernel out of the shell. The shell is more clearly visible in the following captures (when the kernel is removed), but I chose this one because it is the one where the bird is "hatching the nut".

There was a bird feeder within 100 yards and there is no doubt in my mind that the sunflower seed came from the feeder. I did not see the sunflower seed in the bird's bill when it arrived at the crevice, so it is possible it had stored it there before. Or raided another bird's food cache.

There is a slight blur in the tail feathers, almost as if the bird was wagging its tail in anticipation. I would have appreciated if it had kept its emotions under control until we had finished our session.

Canon 7D, Sigma 150-500 at 500 mm, f/11, ISO 500, 1/100 sec, HH, natural light. PP in LR4. Cropped from horizontal to vertical plus minor crop on the vertical.

Thanks for looking. C & Cs are always welcome. Roger.