Adult Male Red-naped Sapsucker With Food For His Chicks

While processing photos of the nesting Williamson’s Sapsuckers that I wrote about two days ago I came across some Red-naped Sapsucker photos that I took that same day but in a different location. Unlike Williamson’s Sapsuckers, male and female Red-naped Sapsuckers look very much alike.

Male Red-naped Sapsucker with food for his chicks – Nikon D7100, f7.1, 1/640, ISO 800, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

The Red-naped Sapsucker nesting cavity was in a location where the only time it could be photographed was about mid afternoon, in the morning it was in deep shadows. In the morning mountains to the east put the opening to the nest cavity in deep shadows and in later afternoon mountain tops to the west did the same thing. I never had the best light to photograph the pair of nesting Red-naped Sapsuckers as they fed their chicks that were safely snuggled together inside the aspen tree.

It was fun though to photograph the adult Red-naped Sapsuckers as they came in to feed their young. The adult Red-naped Sapsuckers often clung to the entrance to the nesting cavity for a few seconds before they went inside with the food they had gathered to give to their chicks.

Finding the nests of Red-naped Sapsuckers isn’t easy. I listen for the sapsuckers drumming or calling, search for old or new nesting cavities, and watch for flashes of red, black and white in the trees. Quite often I hear House Wrens, Tree Swallows, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Northern Flickers in the same locations so I listen for them too. And I sit, watch and wait on locations I think there might be active nests.

I’m glad I found this nesting cavity but it was one of the most challenging of sapsucker nests to photograph at because of the limited window of “okay” light plus having to hold my gear aimed down for long periods of time which can be a strain on my arms, neck and back.

Still, I’d rather be out photographing birds in a difficult position than stuck cooped up inside.

Life is good. Stay safe.

Mia

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