There’s nothing like watching the antics of the White-breasted Nuthatch to lift one’s spirits. This year I started putting live mealworms out where the tray feeder is. Napoleon was pretty sure every worm was for him. He perches in a nearby tree as I pour in the worms and, true to his bold form, dives into the worm cup while I stand right there. I hear the Carolina Chickadee — scolding me, from a distance, to step away. The Eastern Bluebirds and Tufted Titmice line up on the tree branches. Nervously, and quietly, they wait for my departure. Napoleon joyfully feasts.
In the feature video, Napoleon puts on his Big-and-Bad display at the worm feeder — doing his very best to scare off the much-larger, male Northern Cardinal.