Ryan D.

Folks this fall have been seeing a lot of Red-breasted Nuthatches—a bird that is more commonly seen in regions north of Massachusetts (though not uncommon in the western part of the state).

This year is believed to be an “irruption” year, when lots of typically northern-dwelling birds are seen in large numbers in areas south of where they’d usually spend the winter. Irruptions occur because there is not enough food in their usual winter habitats, whether that’s because of a drought or other natural disaster or because it’s just not a plentiful seed crop year (their preferred winter food) for northern tree species. Several other irruptive bird species have also appeared recently in greater numbers, such as Pine Siskins, Red Crossbills, White-winged Crossbills, and Pine Grosbeaks.

The name “nuthatch” comes from the way they open tough seeds: they’ll wedge the seed into a bark crevice or branch crotch and use their chisel-like bill to “hatchet” the “nut” open. Like their cousins the White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatches often descend trees head-first, using their relatively large and very strong feet, an adaptation that allows them to forage readily on insects hidden in the bark in the summer.

Enjoy these five photos of Red-breasted Nuthatches from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest and let us know if you’ve seen nuthatches of either variety at your feeders this fall—sometimes even both at the same time!

Red-breasted Nuthatch © Richard Alvarnaz

Red-breasted Nuthatch far from its usual habitat © Lindsay McSweeney

With most of the leaves fallen to the ground by now, you may have looked up into the canopy, noticed the occasional ball of sticks and leaves tucked into the branches of large deciduous trees, and thought, “What enormous bird lives there?”

Believe it or not, you’re probably looking at a squirrel nest, also known as a “drey.” While they often make nests in tree cavities (sometimes called “dens”), squirrels also create sphere-shaped dreys to keep warm and dry while they sleep. Although building material preferences vary by species, squirrels mostly construct their dreys out of branches, twigs, and leaves and line them with softer materials like grass and pine needles, and almost always choose a spot at least 20 feet off the ground.

Squirrels often build more than one drey (in case one is destroyed or becomes otherwise uninhabitable) in the late summer or early fall to use as shelters in the winter. Sometimes mother squirrels will use dreys for having and raising young in the summer (they produce broods twice each year, once in winter and once in summer), but more often they prefer tree cavities, which are more protected from hungry predators like raccoons, for sheltering their pups.

Here are five photos of industrious squirrels from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors photo contest.