Rare Bird Report #55-B-08

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM


SPECIES:  


Williamson's sapsucker - female


HOW MANY:


1


REPORTER:  


Nancy H Miller, 1358 Four Mile Rd, Viola ID 83872 208-882-2877


REPORTER EMAIL:  


nmiller@moscow.com


OTHER OBSERVERS:


Reid C Miller noticed the bird but didn't identify it at first because it wasn't very visible; Reid and Nancy then identified the sapsucker. Reid is at same address and phone number.


DATE REPORT PREPARED:  


Dec 29, 2008; reported to ebird on 12/25 and 12/26


DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:  


December 25-26, 2008


LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:


Address 1358 Four Mile Rd, Viola, ID 83872 - house is 3.1 miles east of town of Viola, ID. (46.8393522, -116.964612 in ebird)


HABITAT:


transition area with meadow, douglas fir, ponderosa pine; 10 acre rural homesite


CONDITIONS:


Observed bird off and on both days 12/25 and 12/26 from inside house using binoculars and scope and from outside using binoculars. Apple tree is approx 35' from house; viewed outside with binoculars about 15' from bird. Binoculars are Pentax 10X42, Nikon Monarch 10X42; scope is kowa TSN823. Temperature was mid-20s and cloudy/snowy those days; snow level 22-24" on level. Very little wind. No sun but sun would be in the south, bird facing south when picture was taken. Nikon D40 digital camera, 70-200 lens


DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:  


Yes, later the same day


DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:  


Yes, during the observation


WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:


Sibleys Guide to Birds, 2001 publication


DESCRIPTION:  


Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus) brown head, bright yellow lower breast, black upper breast; barred feathers on sides and back


BEHAVIOR:  


Bird was seen eating on several apples which were still on the tree and also was seen and heard  pecking on trunk of the same apple tree. I did not see it interact with any other birds and only saw it fly very briefly


HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?


Identified bird within 10-15 minutes of the first sighting. Brown head, yellow breast, upper black breast, barred feathers were very visible.


HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?


It did not look like any of the other woodpeckers or sapsuckers we see regularly. Hairy, Downy, pileated; Flickers, Red-naped sapsucker


EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):  


We saw Williamson's sapsuckers in Blue Mountains in 2007. We see Red-naped sapsuckers regularly at this location. 


GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:  


My husband and I have been birding regularly since 1991 in Idaho and a number of other states and in other countries. For the areas we bird regularly I would call us advanced intermediate level of expertise.


WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:  


 Photo