Rock Nuthatch.
13th June 2022
Very early one morning, as usual – you have to be out early, we were driving along a very rough track called the 'Makara Track' on our way down to a small estuary and shoreline just looking for whatever wildlife that was on offer. We had passed some old ramshackle sheds used by the people who try and farm this particularly difficult terrain and we had started to see the local Starred Agama lizards lying out on the rocks trying to warm up in the early morning sun. These lizards are commonplace in these hot rocky areas and they are quite confiding up to a point.
There are also a few birds that occupy these rocky areas, typically Cretzschmar's Buntings.
What we weren’t expecting though was a Rock Nuthatch, although these birds live and breed amongst rocks they are usually higher up on large rocks where they build their nests and cling to the rock faces looking for food. This particular bird was very unusually perched on a length of reinforcing bar right on the side of the road. I let the car just drift passed not to spook it by stopping quickly and I quietly reversed back until I was right opposite. I felt sure it would fly off but no it just stayed there about fifteen feet away, quite remarkable really. However, it didn’t take its eyes off us for a second, but I didn’t care because it allowed me to take a quick shot.
Look at the size of those feet.
We carried on still surprised by this little bird’s confidence.
We arrived at the deserted seashore on a now glorious morning, we just stood on the shoreline drinking in the view as the crystal clear emerald waves broke around our feet. I looked high up into the air as fifteen Alpine Swifts swooped back and fore chasing the insects now elevated on the warm air currents.
What a lovely scene this was and we were reluctant to leave but we had to make our way back up though the valley. When we passed the old sheds mentioned above unbelievably there was the Rock Nuthatch still perched in the same place. It must have been there for an hour at least, we couldn’t believe it. We moved on because it was exactly the same shot as on the way down. I don’t know what this bird was doing, whether just drying off in the sun after bathing because it looks a bit wet, but we’ve never seen one exhibiting this confident behaviour before.
There are also a few birds that occupy these rocky areas, typically Cretzschmar's Buntings.
What we weren’t expecting though was a Rock Nuthatch, although these birds live and breed amongst rocks they are usually higher up on large rocks where they build their nests and cling to the rock faces looking for food. This particular bird was very unusually perched on a length of reinforcing bar right on the side of the road. I let the car just drift passed not to spook it by stopping quickly and I quietly reversed back until I was right opposite. I felt sure it would fly off but no it just stayed there about fifteen feet away, quite remarkable really. However, it didn’t take its eyes off us for a second, but I didn’t care because it allowed me to take a quick shot.
Look at the size of those feet.
We carried on still surprised by this little bird’s confidence.
We arrived at the deserted seashore on a now glorious morning, we just stood on the shoreline drinking in the view as the crystal clear emerald waves broke around our feet. I looked high up into the air as fifteen Alpine Swifts swooped back and fore chasing the insects now elevated on the warm air currents.
What a lovely scene this was and we were reluctant to leave but we had to make our way back up though the valley. When we passed the old sheds mentioned above unbelievably there was the Rock Nuthatch still perched in the same place. It must have been there for an hour at least, we couldn’t believe it. We moved on because it was exactly the same shot as on the way down. I don’t know what this bird was doing, whether just drying off in the sun after bathing because it looks a bit wet, but we’ve never seen one exhibiting this confident behaviour before.