
I spent some time this morning watching the female Williamson's Sapsucker at the Abbey as she fed. It was quite cold and a little snowy and she was very actively feeding in a Scots pine tree. Though the light was poor with the cloud cover, I was able to get these pics that show off her very lemony-yellow belly. Some birders who are unfamiliar with sapsuckers incorrectly think that those with very yellow-colored bellies are of the species Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (their pale yellow,sometimes buffy, bellies are not prominent).

I was able to get better views of this birds chest today and could not see the black that is a field mark for adult females. Since her body plumage is clearly black, not brown as in juvenal plumage, I think this may be a first winter female in Basic I plumage. SeEtta
Comments