What nuthatch?

[Newman]

On a wooded path in Morningside Park last week I saw a little nuthatch spiraling around a treetrunk; black head with prominent white eyestripes, white-to-pale-blue chest, otherwise blue-black all over, narrow beak, 4-5".  So basically, it looked like a red-breasted nuthatch, but had a white breast!  Are such variations possible, or were my eyes playing tricks on me in the forest floor light, or was it some other bird altogether?

[Soaring Hawk]

Sounds like a White-breasted Nuthatch to me.

[Newman]

Sounds like a White-breasted Nuthatch to me.

Yeah but a w.b. has a white face with a black crown.  the r.b. has a black head with white eyestripes.  I suppose these can kind of merge into each other if the stripes are big enough.  But you're probably right-- nuthatch + white breast = . . . .