A great addition to the backyard list today - a female RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER! Yard list now at 74. I was tracking a flock of feeding CEDAR WAXWINGs when a sapsucker popped into view on a bare tree along a small creek behind the fence on the neighboring property. I have only seen a sapsucker once in the yard (a Red-breasted) so this was exciting but even more so when it turned out to be "non-Red-breasted". Managed to get a few shots before the bird moved further downstream into a thick clump of Live Oaks where it was impossible to refind.
Thanks to Mike Rogers who confirmed that the bird looks good for a female Red-Naped. Clear white chin, clean red nape should suffice to say that its (mostly) Red-naped vs. Yellow-bellied (white bars on the back also appear to be in two distinct "columns') and no red below the black crescent on the chest should suffice to say that it doesn't have much (if any) of Red-breasted elements. Photos here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S297332781
A very bird afternoon with a lot of activity and 25 species.
There is no public access to this spot, so I won't post the exact location. If I see the bird again tomorrow and someone is really interested in trying to see it, please contact me directly.
Do not disclose information that identifies the location of nesting birds of any species, to minimize stress on the nesting birds and the risk of vandalism or abuse.
