While walking in the autumn woods of Inwood Hill Park, I often hear the insistent chuckle of a White-breasted Nuthatch. Cornell’s All About Birds (link) describes the sound as a “yammering.” These fast little birds scurry up and down and around tree trunks. They are black and blue-gray on the top with white breasts. Some rust color is present on the rear. They have a long pointy bill and flirty dark eyes with the hint of black eyeliner.
Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Tufted Titmice are often nearby. Those are their winter companions and help them coordinate foraging. Like the chickadees and titmice, the nuthatches will store food for later.
Last year, a White-breasted Nuthatch seemed to seek me out while I climbed the stairs of W. 207th Street in the park. Its appearance became so regular that I began to contemplate whether or not wild birds could become my friends.
Image: Study of the friendly White-breasted Nuthatch. Mixed media painting in sketchbook. November 2024.
Other birds in the park seem friendly. I’ve observed a Red-tailed Hawk who makes regular low sweeps on my walks. An American Robin often accompanies me on walks, although robins often lurk nearby to see if your steps can awaken an earthworm. Humans who feed birds can develop relationships with them.
If I spend time quietly observing a particular bird and establish a respectful distance, certain birds can grow comfortable with my presence. Many birds are skittish while some are curious and draw near.
The one nuthatch I frequently encountered last year seemed to want nothing from me except my company. After I walked up the steps, it flew into a nearby tree as if only to exchange pleasantries.
I have also seen and heard the rarer Red-breasted Nuthatch from time to time on the high eastern ridge of the park, but we have yet to become friends.
Cover: White-breasted Nuthatch near the Salt Marsh. November 18, 2024. This post is part of a series on winter birds. Read previous posts on Tufted Titmice and Black-capped Chickadees.
High-Tech Advances in Bird Photography on MacOS Sequoia
Bird photographers with a recent Apple computer and who use Photos for maintaining their archives should make note of the AI features of the latest version of the Sequoia operating system (15.1). It is now possible to search Photos for bird species content. My search for “Red-tailed Hawk” immediately delivered thumbnails of all the Red-tailed Hawk pictures I’ve saved in Photos. I spent last evening exploring my favorite RTH hawk photos like it was a family photo album.
Social Media – Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram
I don’t have time to be present on so many social media platforms – Threads, Instagram – but here we are. You can now find Birds of Inwood on Bluesky. I try to vary my postings from one platform to the other, but Birds of Inwood remains my primary residence. Thank you for being here.
November 2024 Sightings page
Along with the birds, I’ve attempted to update the ongoing drought conditions. The drought is still present, but a vigorous low pressure system brought much-need rain to the area this week. Residents have been on edge with recent brush fires in the park. See November 24 Sightings.
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Birds of Inwood 
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