Georgia on My Blog: A Nuthatch, A Hairy and an Unfortunate Caterpillar

I seldom see White-breasted Nuthatches at home.  I was taking photos of one busy little nuthatch as it poked and pulled at the bark of a dead tree when it gave a call and flew off.  Immediately a Hairy Woodpecker landed and started excavating at the same spot. Within a minute or so the woodpecker had pulled out a very large caterpillar from a very small hole and had flown away to feed on its prize. The nuthatch had given up the battle and in the meantime was foraging on a nearby tree. I suppose the only real loser in the encounter was the caterpillar.

Enjoy the photos!

White-breasted Nuthatch perched on a dead tree

Listening, poking and looking for food under the bark

A Hairy Woodpecker female chases the White-breasted Nuthatch away and starts poking away at the bark.

And there it is – a large caterpillar from that small hole in the wood

The Hairy Woodpecker has its prize and soon flies off to eat the caterpillar.

all writing and photos copyright J.A. Siderius 2014.