[NatureNS] re behaviour of various nesting nuthatches

References: <69AAA976-C405-4E1D-BBDC-249E3C0C823E@dal.ca>
From: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:42:21 -0300
To: NatureNS <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>,
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Another interesting point concerning the red-breasted nuthatch lining  
the hole with coniferous pitch, is the consequence that any adult  
that wishes to enter the nest-cavity must do so by flying in!  I  
wonder if anyone has tried to film this or figure out what sorts of  
manoeuvering are required into order to survive such an injection?!   
Cheers from Jim.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Andrew Horn <aghorn@dal.ca>
> Date: April 29, 2013 6:00:52 PM ADT
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] re behaviour of nesting WB Nuthatches
> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
>
> Hi Jim et al.,
>
> White-breasted Nuthatches do indeed sweep their nest holes with a  
> beetle. As far as I know, no one really knows why. It might be to  
> deter other birds, predators, or parasites (lots of beetles contain  
> noxious chemicals).
>
> European and some other Old World nuthatches narrow the entrance of  
> their nest hole with mud, maybe to keep out other cavity-nesting  
> birds, and Red-breasted Nuthatches line the entrance with pitch  
> from coniferous trees, again for unknown reasons.
>
> There's a video of the European Nuthatch plastering its nest hole  
> at this site -- quite neat, but I'll warn you that the video takes  
> ages to load: http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/eurasian-nuthatch-sitta- 
> europaea/female-plastering-nest-entrance
>
> Cheers,
> Andy Horn
> Halifax
>
> On Apr 29, 2013, at 4:08 PM, James W. Wolford wrote:
>
>>
>>> Subject: [ValleyNature] re behaviour of nesting WB Nuthatches
>>>
>>> Thanks for your note, Bernice & Bill!  Is it the Cambridge area  
>>> where you live? (nw. of Coldbrook?).  I will send your note and  
>>> questions to our two lists of naturalists for feedback on your  
>>> interesting observations.  Glad you have some white-breasts  
>>> back!  Cheers from Jim, in B.C. for another 10 days or so.
>>>
>>> Begin forwarded message:
>>>
>>>> From: The Naylors <bbnaylor@ns.sympatico.ca>
>>>> Date: April 29, 2013 12:40:39 PM ADT
>>>> To: "James W. Wolford" <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>
>>>> Subject: WB nuthatches
>>>>
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> Approx 6 years ago a pair of wb nuthatches raised 6 young in a  
>>>> bird house in our back yard.  We got to see them fledge at that  
>>>> time.  The box has not been used by anyone since.  This year  
>>>> another pair of the WBN are back at it and are very busy.  One  
>>>> bird (I'm presunming the female. Maybe I'm being politically  
>>>> incorrect here!)  is very busy rubbing a black thing back and  
>>>> forth over the outside of the box, including the top where he/ 
>>>> she is removing the lichen that has built up.  Odd behaviour?
>>>>
>>>> Bernice Naylor
>>>>
>>>> PS:  Bill has just read  that this bird will sometimes rub a  
>>>> noxious smelling bug to deter other birds, etc from getting into  
>>>> the nest.  Possible answer?  Interesting behaviour to watch.   
>>>> She/he has been at it for most of the morning.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nature mailing list
>>> Nature@blomidonnaturalists.ca
>>> http://blomidonnaturalists.ca/mailman/listinfo/ 
>>> nature_blomidonnaturalists.ca
>>
>


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
Another interesting point concerning the red-breasted nuthatch lining =
the hole with coniferous pitch, is the consequence that any adult that =
wishes to enter the nest-cavity must do so by flying in! &nbsp;I wonder =
if anyone has tried to film this or figure out what sorts of =
manoeuvering are required into order to survive such an injection?! =
&nbsp;Cheers from Jim.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded =
message:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>From: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">Andrew Horn &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:aghorn@dal.ca">aghorn@dal.ca</a>&gt;</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">April 29, 2013 6:00:52 PM ADT</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Re: [NatureNS] re behaviour of =
nesting WB Nuthatches</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</a></font>=
</div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> Hi Jim et =
al.,<div><br></div><div>White-breasted Nuthatches do indeed sweep their =
nest holes with a beetle. As far as I know, no one really knows why. It =
might be to deter other birds, predators, or parasites (lots of beetles =
contain noxious chemicals).</div><div><br></div><div>European and some =
other Old World nuthatches narrow the entrance of their nest hole with =
mud, maybe to keep out other cavity-nesting birds, and Red-breasted =
Nuthatches line the entrance with pitch from coniferous trees, again for =
unknown reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>There's a video of the =
European Nuthatch plastering its nest hole at this site -- quite neat, =
but I'll warn you that the video takes ages to load:&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/eurasian-nuthatch-sitta-europaea/fema=
le-plastering-nest-entrance">http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/eurasian-nuthatc=
h-sitta-europaea/female-plastering-nest-entrance</a></div><div><br></div><=
div>Cheers,</div><div>Andy =
Horn</div><div>Halifax</div><div><br><div><div>On Apr 29, 2013, at 4:08 =
PM, James W. Wolford wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br><div><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>[ValleyNature] re behaviour of =
nesting WB Nuthatches</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; =
margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: =
14px; "><br></div>  Thanks for your note, Bernice &amp; Bill! &nbsp;Is =
it the Cambridge area where you live? (nw. of Coldbrook?). &nbsp;I will =
send your note and questions to our two lists of naturalists for =
feedback on your interesting observations. &nbsp;Glad you have some =
white-breasts back! &nbsp;Cheers from Jim, in B.C. for another 10 days =
or so.<br><div><br><div>Begin forwarded message:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" style=3D"font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">The Naylors &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:bbnaylor@ns.sympatico.ca">bbnaylor@ns.sympatico.ca</a>&gt;<=
/font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">April 29, 2013 12:40:39 PM =
ADT</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" =
size=3D"3" color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica">"James W. Wolford" &lt;<a =
href=3D"mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca">jimwolford@eastlink.ca</a>&gt;</fon=
t></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: =
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
color=3D"#000000" style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: =
#000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"3" =
style=3D"font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>WB nuthatches</b></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> <div><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial">Hi</font></div><div><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial"></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial">Approx 6 years ago a pair of wb nuthatches raised 6 young =
in a bird house in our back yard.&nbsp; We got to see them fledge at =
that time.&nbsp; The box has not been used by anyone since.&nbsp; This =
year another pair of the WBN are back at it and are very busy.&nbsp; One =
bird (I'm presunming the female. Maybe I'm being politically incorrect =
here!)&nbsp; is very busy rubbing a black thing back and forth over the =
outside of the box, including the top where he/she is removing the =
lichen that has built up.&nbsp; Odd behaviour?</font></div><div><font =
size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial">Bernice Naylor</font></div><div><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial"></font>&nbsp;</div><div><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial">PS:&nbsp; Bill has just read&nbsp; that this bird will =
sometimes rub a noxious smelling bug to deter other birds, etc from =
getting into the nest.&nbsp; Possible answer?&nbsp; Interesting =
behaviour to watch.&nbsp; She/he has been at it for most of the =
morning.&nbsp;</font></div></blockquote></div><br><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; =
">_______________________________________________</div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">Nature mailing list</div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a =
href=3D"mailto:Nature@blomidonnaturalists.ca">Nature@blomidonnaturalists.c=
a</a></div><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a =
href=3D"http://blomidonnaturalists.ca/mailman/listinfo/nature_blomidonnatu=
ralists.ca">http://blomidonnaturalists.ca/mailman/listinfo/nature_blomidon=
naturalists.ca</a></div> =
</blockquote></div><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></blockquote></d=
iv><br></body></html>=

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