Woodpeckers

Family: Picadae

Woodpeckers have strong bills for drilling and drumming on trees and long sticky tongues for extracting food. All woodpeckers nest in cavities. Some species supplement their diets with birds eggs, small mammals, fruits and some suck sap.

In North America the smallest woodpecker is the Downy Woodpecker and the largest is the Pileated Woodpecker. Most woodpecker species are primary cavity nesters that excavate their own nests and their old nests are often used by other birds and small mammals. Most woodpeckers live near forests or woodland habitats but a few live in deserts and rocky hillsides.

Adult Male Red-naped Sapsucker With Food For His Chicks

By |April 8th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Photographing Nesting Williamson’s Sapsuckers

By |April 6th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Targhee National Forest, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For one and a half wonderful nesting seasons I was thrilled to photograph a pair of mated Williamson's Sapsuckers excavating a nest and tending to their young.

Photographing A Male Downy Woodpecker In A Chokecherry Tree

By |August 29th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Downy Woodpeckers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I noticed the Downy Woodpecker moving towards the front part of the tree I changed my focus to it and waited to see if he would come out into the open and when it did I was ready to takes images of him.

Immature Northern Flicker In The Wasatch Mountains

By |August 24th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Northern Flickers, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This immature Northern Flicker was one of the last birds I spotted and photographed three days ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains and I was happy that she stayed long enough for me to take a nice series of images of her.

Photographic Frustrations – Red-naped Sapsuckers in the Targhee National Forest

By |July 11th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Frustrations in bird photography, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One year ago today I experienced one of the two most frustrating days in my entire time of being a bird photographer while photographing Red-naped Sapsuckers in the Targhee National Forest of Idaho.

Male Red-naped Sapsucker Close Ups – Too Much Glass

By |June 8th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a flash of black, white and red as a bird landed in the aspen tree that was closest to me above where the wrens and swallows are nesting and realized that a male Red-naped Sapsucker had flown in and was foraging for food in the buds of the aspen.

Photographing a Male Northern Flicker Excavating a Nesting Cavity

By |March 23rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Nesting Birds, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I dug into my archives and picked these Northern Flicker photos from May of 2015 to share today because I saw a Northern Flicker yesterday and thought of how they will soon start excavating their nesting cavities to rear their young in.

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

Perched male Red-naped Sapsucker in Idaho’s Targhee National Forest

By |December 4th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Red-naped Sapsucker was perched on a dead aspen branch near the nesting cavity where I photographed a chick being fed by the adults in mid July.

Red-naped Sapsucker Diving Away From Nesting Cavity

By |August 16th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did find one jewel in the images, a photo of one of the adult Red-naped Sapsuckers flying away from the nesting cavity looking like a bullet.

Intruding Red-naped Sapsucker – Or Just A Curious Bird?

By |July 29th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I do not believe that this bird was one of the pair of adult Red-naped Sapsuckers I photographed feeding the chick in the nesting cavity, his bib and breast markings were different from the other adult birds.

Adult Red-naped Sapsucker Feeding its Chick at the Nesting Cavity

By |July 14th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Although photographing the Red-naped Sapsuckers at the nesting cavity has been frustrating at times it has also been very rewarding to observe all the action of the sapsucker family.

Targhee National Forest Red-naped Sapsucker Feeding Young

By |July 12th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Jackpot and frustrations... I'll explain the jackpot first and get to the frustrations later about the Targhee National Forest Red-naped Sapsucker feeding its young.

Red-naped Sapsucker in the Uinta Mountains

By |July 7th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This male Red-naped Sapsucker was photographed last year in the high Uintas, a mountain range that is east of Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains I can see from where I live.

Female Red-naped Sapsucker With a Bill Full of Ants

By |June 18th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Maybe next year I'll have better opportunities with these Red-naped Sapsuckers and maybe they will chose to place their new nesting cavity in a location that is easier to photograph.

Sapsuckers, Bluebirds and Nuthatches and the Magical Sapsucker Tree

By |May 3rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Mountain Bluebirds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Targhee National Forest, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two years ago today I was in the Targhee National Forest of Clark County, Idaho photographing birds at what I called the "Magical Sapsucker Tree".

Looking at 2016 in the Rear View Mirror or My Photographic Year in Review

By |December 31st, 2016|Categories: American Barn Owls, American Bitterns, American Pipits, Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Davis County, Double-crested Cormorants, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Horned Owls, High Uintas, Hybrid Geese, Idaho, Leucistic, Montana, Peregrine Falcons, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Salt Lake County, Short-eared Owls, Summit County, Targhee National Forest, Tooele County, Turkey Vultures, Utah, Wayne County, Western Bluebirds, Wilson's Phalaropes, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Wow, today is the last day of the year 2016. This is my photographic year in review from Utah, Idaho and Montana!

Red-naped Sapsucker Showing Its Tongue

By |August 28th, 2016|Categories: Birds, High Uintas, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this image and realized that the Red-naped Sapsucker had its tongue stuck out and I hadn't noticed that before.

Red-naped Sapsuckers Feeding Chicks at a Nesting Cavity in the Uintas

By |June 29th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Finding Red-naped Sapsuckers feeding chicks at a nesting cavity in the Uintas made my day!

The Demise of the Magical Sapsucker Tree and the Luck of Finding More Nesting Cavity Trees

By |June 14th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Clark County, House Wrens, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am heart-broken about losing the Magical Sapsucker Tree but I am glad to have found a few more where the chicks are thriving and are safe so far.

Northern Flicker Letting The Chips Fall Where They May

By |May 5th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Northern Flickers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I could hear the Northern Flicker excavating inside the nesting cavity and when he would stop he would appear with a bill full of shavings and forcefully eject them from the cavity.

At the Magical Sapsucker Tree Once Again

By |May 3rd, 2015|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Targhee National Forest, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday may have started off dreary but it sure got lively with a Willamson's Sapsucker, Mountain Chickadee and a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches at the Magical Sapsucker Tree!

Red-naped Sapsuckers of Clark County, Idaho

By |July 6th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a Sapsuckery trip to Montana and Idaho last week, with Red-naped and Williamson's Sapsuckers at their nesting cavities

The Magical Sapsucker Tree in Clark County, Idaho

By |July 4th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Clark County, House Wrens, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest, Tree Swallows, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A month ago I photographed a pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers excavating a nesting cavity in Idaho and this past week I spent several days photographing them again.

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