The Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is a small passerine found throughout temperate Europe and Asia. It is spread from southern Scandinavia
to Middle and South Europe and through Russia and Sibiria to the
Pacific coast - further south to China, southeast Asia and India. It belongs to the nuthatch family Sittidae. This bird is the most common and most widespread nuthatch, and is often referred to just as the Nuthatch. It is a resident bird
of deciduous woods and parkland, with some old trees for nesting. It
feeds on insects, seeds and nuts. Its old name “nut-hack” derives from
its habit of wedging a nut in a crevice in a tree, and then hacking at
it with its strong bill. Nests are in holes or crevices, lined with bark or grass. The size of
the hole’s entrance may be reduced by the building of a neat mud wall.
Five to eight eggs are laid, white speckled with red.
The Eurasian Nuthatch is 14 cm long and has the typical nuthatch big
head, short tail and powerful bill and feet. It is blue-grey above, with
a black eyestripe. Asian and north European birds (
S. e. asiatica and
S. e. europaea respectively) are white below except for chestnut in the vent area. The western European
S. e. caesia has generally reddish underparts. Young birds are "washed out" versions of the adults.
This is a noisy bird, often located by its repeated
tui-tui-tui call. It has the ability, like other nuthatches, to climb down trees, unlike species such as woodpeckers which can only go upwards. It will come to bird feeding tables and is then very aggressive, driving other species away.
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| old oak in park |
In Denmark
The Nuthatch (Danish: Spætmejse) (Sitta europaea), ab.15 cm,
is a common breeding bird in Denmark in old deciduous forests and parks. The Danish name Spætmejse indicates that it is a Tit = Mejse, but it belongs to its own family, Sittidae. In Denmark are two under-species : east of Storebælt is a light- bellied race (Sitta europaea) and upon the island Funen and in Jutland a dark-bellied race (Sitta. e caesia) with rusty red breast and belly. The nuthatch is the only Danish bird which climbs both up and down the trees.
The voice of the nuthatch is strong and varied. It breeds in holes in old trees or takes over holes from the woodpecker. Old trees with holes are rare in most forests, so there is a great competition among the birds, which nest in old trees, like among tits, starlings and flyecatchers. In order to avoid the competition from larger birds the nuthatch makes the hole smaller by pasting it with clay, until the size fits its own nest. The nuthatch feeds especially on insects, spiders and other little animals - in autumn and winter it feeds on seeds, nuts, fruits from beech and oak. The nuthatch put the nuts in cracks in the bark and hammers hole in it with its strong beak. In this connection it uses all its bodyweight and the advantage of being able to move with its head downwards.
The Nuthatch is in Denmark especially found
in East Jutland and on the Isles where there are many suitable areas
with deciduous forests. It is especially numerous in Jægersborg Dyrehave
and Gribskov at Zealand and in Rold Skov, Fussingø Skov and Tofte Skov
in East Jutland. The nuthatch is common, except in parts of West and
North Jutland where there are no old deciduous forests with suitable
holes for nests.
Source:
Fugle og Natur, Dansk Ornitologisk Forening; Gyldendal, Den Store Danske; wikipedia;
photo Forsthaven and Moesgård 2012: grethe bachmann
andscape along the bottom of Kaløvig is listed and very
pictoresque. A tongue of land with a medieval stone road leads out to
Kalø castle ruin, which lies upon a small island with steep hills and
banks 
at the coast. Several good paths make it easy to walk in the area.
If you are interested in plants then it is one of the finest places in
Denmark with rests of a garden flora from the Middle Ages. The plants
were introduced from southern Europe and cultivated in the gardens at
the ruin - they were later feral. The flora includes especially medical
plants, but also plants for dyeing, poisonous plants, kitchen herbs and
textile plants. Especially significant are Anthriscus caucalis (burr
chervil/gærdekørvel) and Cyproglossum officinale (dog's
tongue/lægehundetunge) upon the southern cliffs of the ruin. Besides
appear Nepeta ( catmint,catnip/ katteurt), Lithosperum officinale
(Common cromwell / lægestenfrø) and Viola odorata (wood violet(/
martsviol); Malva neglecta (common mallow/ rundbladet katost) and Conium
maculatum (Hemlock/skarntyde). The seeds from several of the plants can
keep the germination capacity for many years. Hyoscyamus niger (black
henbane/ bulmeurt) can can fx sprout after having stayed in the earth
for several hundred years - and if there is a slide in the bank the
henbane sometimes appears. It is forbidden to dig up the plants but
seeds might be gathered. The Nepeta (catmint) only grows in ten
locations in Denmark and always in old settlements.
