Red-naped Sapsucker male, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, IdahoRed-naped Sapsucker male – Nikon D7100, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

It was a Sapsuckery trip to Montana and Idaho last week, with photographing both Red-naped Sapsuckers and Williamson’s Sapsuckers at their nesting cavities and what I believe to have been a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that I didn’t get an image of. I guess I could call it a Sapsucker Trifecta!

The male Red-naped Sapsucker above is the bird that came in to investigate the Magical Sapsucker Tree with a Williamson’s Sapsucker pair feeding their young that I posted about earlier.

Red-naped Sapsucker female, Modoc Creek, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, IdahoRed-naped Sapsucker female – Nikon D7100, f7.1, 1/125, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

I did find another nesting tree last week because a House Wren flitting about caught my eye just like in late May when chattering House Wrens clued me in on the first Williamson’s Sapsuckers excavating their nests. This time I only saw the House Wren for a second but it drew my eye to an aspen with at least two nesting cavities in it. Seconds after seeing the House Wren a female Red-naped Sapsucker flew in with a bill full of sap and entered the nesting cavity and soon afterwards a male showed up as well. I could hear their chicks begging to be fed inside of the tree.

It was great fun photographing these two sapsucker species and I wish I had been able to get at least one ID confirming image of the Yellow-bellied too.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Red-naped Sapsucker photos plus facts and information about this species.