by Fred Bouchard For unfailing cheeriness, perky curiosity, and its amiably purring “henk-henk,” White-breasted Nuthatches get my vote for favorite yard bird. With no flashy looks, melodious songs, nor commanding calls to vouch for them, ‘nuts’ are your year-round, work-a-day, dependably peppy garden gremlins: twist this-that-a-way to grab a bug, glean a gnat, slam a seed, tipple sap. The Sittidae f amily worldwide i ncludes 24 nuthatches, mainly Eurasian; Concord nature author and bird-trip guru Peter Alden (sparkbirding.com) reports they have recently been merged with gnatcatchers and wrens. Its catchy English handle, Merriam & Webster tell us, “refers to the [READ MORE]