Lake Umbagog journals, 1871-1916 (inclusive)
Page 77
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Sitta canadensis. Lake Umbagog, Maine. Photographing bird at nest. 1896. The rest of the forenoon was devoted to the Nuthatch's May 25. nest found yesterday at the end of our point. Jim had put up a board on the side of a birch about two feet from the hole a and on this board I adjusted my camera and snapped at the male Nuthatch when he came with food for his mate. I made six or eight exposures with fair success but I should have done bet- ter had the board been placed 8 or 10 feet from the hole for the bird was never quite still and I could not give time e- nough to get clearness of definition and firmness of outline. XXXX I got one picture of the female as she was clinging to the stub just before entering the hole. This was a diffi- cult task for she usually flew in, without so much as touch- ing her feet to the edge of the hole. The male fed her at of intervals from 10 to 30 minutes and even once twice within 5 minutes. He usually brought what looked like larvae held lengthwise in his bill. Pretty, interesting little creatures these Canada Nuthatches! 72