Conceding to the need for exercise, we ventured out on a neighborhood walk just ahead of the precipitation, and were able to see the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in Lombard Woods, coming to backyard feeders. We were watching a suet feeder, but the one in view seemed empty. Instead, it appeared as if the bird may have made a very quick stop at a seed feeder (black oil sunflower?), then flew to the utility pole behind the feeders.
We couldn't tell from the view whether it was eating or caching or just digging there, but it was positioned a few feet below what seemed to be a frame platform on the pole, partially covered with branches or vine, which may have offered the bird a bit of protection from the sleet that had begun. We had sufficient looks to see a spot of red on the head, the light throat, some buffy tones, a broad white bar on the wing, and some barring on the back. After a couple of minutes it flew back to the woods, and we beat a hasty retreat home. Linda Whyte ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
