Birds and Nature

I found this male Williamson's Sapsucker at Centennial Park today and like the other sapsucker it was working near the base of the tree--the place on a pine tree where the sun shines the most and where the tree is least frozen. Also they both worked on the south exposures of the trees, again very adaptive. The sap holes visible on this tree are those this bird likely drilled today, one even shows the glint of sap albeit likely quite frozen. The fact that there have been 4 different sapsuckers trying to feed on bark, wood and sap that clearly is frozen in this harsh weather may indicate some level of desperation for food since leaving wherever it is that they are finding shelter would expend energy that badly need in these conditions, and especially all the flying/moving about I observed by the birds today would seem to use a lot of energy. The fact that the two males today moved around and between trees would seem to point out the difficulty of finding food. Their feeding on t...

This is the third female Williamson's Sapsucker I found today in Centennial Park. She was pretty shy as she peaked around the tree or put herself behind small branches that obstructed her view until I caught this view (blurred by some pine needles). It does provide an intimate view as she takes a brief break from feeding. SeEtta

This morning I found 3 female Williamson's Sapsuckers in Canon City's Centennial Park today including the one in this pic. Two were feeding in pine trees less than a hundred feet apart. With the 2 other female Williamson's I saw today, there are at least 5 female Williamson's in Canon City which is a high for this species here. I have pics of one of the other females and 2 males I saw today that I will post next (I didn't get pics of the other females). SeEtta

This female Williamson's Sapsucker has apparently been working the pine trees in Centennial Park for the past several weeks. I have seen a female in this and two other pine trees plus have seen active sap wells in several other pine trees in this park. SeEtta

I was able to get a little better pic, albeit a back view, of this Williamson's Sapsucker, that I have added as the top pic. Today I also found this female Williamson's Sapsucker in Canon City,CO today, but this one was feeding in the pines at Centennial Park, another location that has hosted wintering sapsuckers over the past 6 years. This female was high up the tree and quite shy so the pic is not as good as some of the other sapsucker pics. SeEtta