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 Red-naped Sapsucker Feeding its Chick at the Nesting Cavity

By |2021-04-11T06:50:10-05:00July 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 |2021-04-11T06:59:25-05:00July 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 |2021-04-11T07:02:24-05:00July 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 |2021-04-11T07:07:13-05:00June 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 |2024-03-04T11:08:44-06:00May 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 |2024-03-27T06:20:55-05:00December 31st, 2016|Categories: American Bitterns, American Pipits, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, 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 |2021-04-11T07:12:47-05:00August 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 |2021-04-11T07:17:57-05:00June 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!

Northern Flicker on a fence post in the Centennial Valley

By |2024-03-07T13:58:02-06:00September 15th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Northern Flickers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Early on the second morning when I was in Montana last week I was able to photograph this male Northern Flicker on the side and top of a weathered fence post.

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

By |2024-02-26T08:11:17-06:00June 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 |2024-03-04T12:52:09-06:00May 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 |2021-04-27T16:19:42-05:00May 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!

I’m a real sucker for birds

By |2021-04-11T13:38:49-05:00January 26th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Targhee National Forest, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I will photograph birds big and small, those that are flashy and those that are dull. From rare to common it doesn't matter to me.

Red-naped Sapsuckers of Clark County, Idaho

By |2024-03-24T03:22:12-05:00July 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 |2024-03-25T05:57:30-05:00July 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.

Wonderful Lifers – Williamson’s Sapsuckers at their nesting tree

By |2023-11-02T07:16:43-05:00June 1st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I could barely contain myself because in my viewfinder was a gorgeous red, yellow and black colored male Williamson's Sapsucker.

Juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker in Summit County

By |2021-04-11T07:26:08-05:00February 10th, 2014|Categories: Ashley National Forest, Birds, High Uintas, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The bad weather here has given me cabin fever so last night I looked through my archives and enjoyed some images from brighter, warmer days and came across this juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker image from my first camping trip to Utah's high Uintas in Summit County.

The Amazing Legacy of the Bluebird Man

By |2024-03-28T18:24:42-05:00July 13th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Capitol Reef National Park, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Downy Woodpeckers, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I want to thank Neil Paprocki for sharing information about Al Larson and the upcoming film The Bluebird Man, I have learned a lot from the web site and through my interview with Neil and I am all for learning more about the wonderful natural world around me.

Male Northern Flicker in its nesting cavity

By |2024-03-07T13:53:32-06:00June 20th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Madison County, Montana, Northern Flickers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was photographing some Pine Siskins along a road in Madison County, Montana when this male Red-shafted Northern Flicker stuck his head out of his nesting cavity in an aspen and surprised me.

Juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker in the high Uintas

By |2021-04-11T07:28:37-05:00March 1st, 2013|Categories: Ashley National Forest, Birds, High Uintas, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker image was taken on my first camping trip in the high Uintas in Summit County, Utah not far from Christmas Meadows.

Colorful Capitol Reef National Park

By |2023-09-05T08:47:20-05:00September 9th, 2010|Categories: Birds, Capitol Reef National Park, Downy Woodpeckers, Mule Deer, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The geological features of Capitol Reef National Park are amazing. About 75 miles of the 100 mile long monocline known as the Waterpocket Fold are within the park's boundaries extending from Lake Powell north to the Thousand Lake Plateau.

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