A glorious Nuthatch from an afternoon session out again on Dartmoor. European Nuthatch are about the size of a sparrow.  The are unique amongst British birds being the only species that will descend a tree trunk head first.  When I was training to become a ringer we did some work on sexing them in the hand and those birds with more intense brick red on the flanks were usually males. The bird above would fit that description I think.

There are 25 species worldwide but they are absent from Africa and South America. Having looked at pictures of several other members of the family, we can be content with the knowledge that our bird is one of the most  attractive.  The photo above was taken from my car which was acting as a convenient hide and with the use of a piece of military 'face-veil" draped over the window, the birds could come and go without feeling threatened. I must say that my heart raced when this lovely bird put in an appearance.  I was no more than 10 feet from him as he made his way down the branch towards the free offerings that I had placed on a  large boulder beneath the bush. He paused to look for the food and I took his picture while he was still. What a bird!