Nuthatch

Description

Nuthatch at Graves Park, Sheffield

Nuthatches are one of the UK’s most distinctive woodland birds. The compact body, long beak, and bold blue-grey and buff colouring are easy to identify once you know what you are looking for. Their most unusual feature is their ability to walk headfirst down a tree trunk — an adaptation that lets them find insects and larvae in bark crevices that other birds, which can only move upward, cannot reach. The name comes from “nut-hack”: their habit of wedging hard-shelled seeds into bark and hammering them open.

Learning to Look

I had not really noticed nuthatches until I started taking wildlife photography more seriously. They spend much of their time high in the trees, which makes them easy to walk past. What changed things for me was learning their call — a loud, clear whistle that carries well through woodland. Once you know it, they are not hard to find. Graves Park in Sheffield has a good section of mature woodland, and nuthatches are a regular presence there. I spotted this one in summer 2025, moving steadily down a trunk in the characteristic headfirst posture.

The Painting Process

Working in my Sheffield home studio, I completed this piece in a single painting session using oils on a 6 × 6 inch Ampersand Gessobord panel. The nuthatch’s strong markings — particularly the bold eye stripe and the contrast between the blue-grey back and the warm underparts — work well on a small panel.

Original Artwork Details

This original oil painting is unframed, allowing you to choose framing that complements your interior. For advice on framing please refer to How to Frame a Painting on a Panel.

Specifications:

• Medium: Oil on gessobord panel
• Size: 6 × 6 inches (~ 15 × 15 cm)
• Depth: 0.3 cm (~ 1/8 inch)
• Unframed
• Year: 2025
• Signed on reverse

Shipping & Care

Your painting will be carefully packaged with protective materials and shipped via Royal Mail within 3-5 business days. The panel is robust and archival – oil paintings on panel have been proven to last for centuries when properly cared for. Display away from direct sunlight and extreme humidity for best longevity.