Nuthatches

I understand now why the nuthatches haven’t been coming. Perhaps I could plant an oak tree in my garden.

Likely would be best option but they don't grow all that fast!
***This is usually only the case for oaks growing in open areas when mature long-lived dome headed trees can become wider than they are high. In comparison, woodland oak is tall and slender. The expected growth rate of the English oak is just over 0.5m per year. Growing to 6m after 10 years and 11m after 20 years.
(C) English Oak - Great Big Trees***

I've got a little Oak sapling growing out of the lawn ......  no doubt as the result of caching acorns by Jays. It's only about 250 mm high so I don't think it will be attracting Nuthatches any time soon. LOL

I might pot it up to see if I can grow it on but at my age I'm never going to see it reach any size. 

I think our nuthatches live in the buddleia, they certainly happily peck away at the buddleia outside the window and one further down the garden too. They also use the window bird feeder, and forage on the ground. They are often seen at the same time (the pair) and happily eat next to the blue tits, great tits, and bullfinches. It's only the squirrel and the wood pigeons they avoid. I've seen no 'territorial' behaviour, they are delightful, uplifting birds, happily co-existing alongside all of the other species.

Perhaps the reason for their increase in numbers is that they are happy to adapt and accept variable food sources, they are also highly intelligent and curious. Most definitely opportunists!

I've had a nuthatch in our suburban garden this year for, I think, the first time in 30 years. There are certainly nuthatches in local woodland but it always comes from the opposite direction. Feeds on the sunflower hearts with everything else.

I have dozens and dozens of Nuthatches. They are always with the Junkos and Chickadees, and try to land on my shoulders. So silly!

I am near Ann Arbor, I see them year-round. Prior, I lived next to Detroit, I'd never even seen one before that I recall. Now they're all over here.

One day, they will surely figure that Nuthatches and Woodpeckers evolved from the same group. Like they have done with the Downy and the Hairy Woodpeckers. Their feet attachments and running up and down the trees are amazing, just so fast! I love them.

OK, so I make my own human-grade Vegan Vegetarian suet cakes that have taken me years to perfect.

They LOVE them. So do all local WP's, Bluejays, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Junkos, Chickadees, Sparrows, Titmice, and recently, Purple Finches. But I noticed, as long as my suets are out, there's those little guys running up and down the trees, so fast.

I do feed other mixes, nuts, fruit, store-bought suets and those suet balls that are not Vegetarian, but they seem to really only be here if I put mine out. I didn't know they were so rare?

I was so unfamiliar with them, when I first heard them in the back, hidden in some trees, I got a bird app to ID them. They are here year-round too, not sure if they usually migrate as it's been VERY cold. Even in a snowstorm or pouring rain, I'll see the Nuthatches and the Woodpeckers, sitting on my suets on the trees.

Thanks for posting DFS. Here in the densely developed UK, nuthatches aren’t uncommon but they don’t love the urban setting. We see them in parks and woods but not so much in urban gardens. I guess you’re seeing red-breasted nuthatches where you are? Apparently they not only hang with the chickadees but also understand their calls.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../