Máistir Nádúraí: Red-breasted Nuthatch

8.27.2007

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Nuthatch of Bootstrap Analysis Blog offers easy ways to help birds near you! Also, with all the rain we’ve had in the Midwest over the past few weeks, it’s important to check your bird feeders for moldy birdseed. Clean your feeders, too, and be sure to rake underneath them to remove droppings, old and moldy seed. For many Wisconsin residents (and elsewhere), this may be the least of their worries - five counties have been declared federal disaster areas in the southwest part of our state.

Backyard birds the past few days:

Green Heron

Mourning Dove

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Hairy Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Red-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

Black-capped Chickadee

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Red-eyed Vireo

American Crow

Blue Jay

American Redstart

American Robin

Cedar Waxwing

Northern Cardinal

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Chipping Sparrow

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Bio:

Mike McDowell has been documenting southern Wisconsin’s flora and fauna since 1987 and began leading field trips in 2002. Prolific at Pheasant Branch Conservancy, other highlighted natural areas include Pope Farm Conservancy, Spring Green Preserve, and the Baraboo Hills. His nature photography has appeared in various publications, newspapers, magazines and was even featured on a Wisconsin Endangered Resources license plate, a Capital Brewery beer label, and a National Geographic publication. He began journaling nature observations on this blog in 2005. He's the recipient of the 2012 Bronze Passenger Pigeon Award from the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in their local communities or state to promote the field of ornithology. He was a finalist in Swarovski’s Digiscoper of the Year photography contest several times. His other interests include insect macro-photography (especially tiger beetles, treehoppers, and robber flies), fossil collecting, amateur astronomy, botany, natural history, and marksmanship with long-range rifles. Once a gigging musician, collecting Fender Stratocasters is a recently revived interest—most prized being a 1957 Vintage Custom Shop 'Mary Kaye' White Blonde. A former IT Professional, he's spent the last 24 years employed in the sport optics industry.