It is always a thrill when a live bird lands in your hand, pauses for a moment, retrieves a food item and wings away.

Several of us had just this pleasure this morning at High Park when we were visited by a White-breasted Nuthatch and a Chickadee.

Nuthatch-in-hand photos from previous walks:

Nuthatches received this name from their habit of wedging a large food item in a crevice and then hacking at it with their strong bills.

Other birds:

High Park Zoo:

Some Botany:

Conditions are still VERY icy!

Today’s group:

MAILBOX

Hi Miles,
Looks like these magpies have outwitted their researchers. 

Magpies remove tracking devices for each other in rare acts of altruism (newatlas.com)

NATURE POETRY

 prefer winter and fall,
when you feel the structure of the landscape
– the loneliness of it,
the dead feel of winter.
Something waits beneath it,
the whole story doesn’t show.   – Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009)

Miles Hearn