Sapsuckers

I'm not sure whether these are Red-naped or Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers....birding is a whole new experience, thanks to the great shots on this forum. In time, and with lots of 'Sibley's time' the ID's should improve
Taken today.

Nice captures Scott, cant help with the sapsucker ID, but the last one is a Downy woodpecker I believe, well done.

I'm pretty sure it's a male yellow belly.

bromm wrote in post #3162708
Nice captures Scott, cant help with the sapsucker ID, but the last one is a Downy woodpecker I believe, well done.

Thanks for the correction on the Downy Woodpecker.

nwyman wrote in post #3163129
I'm pretty sure it's a male yellow belly.

Thanks for the differentiating the two species...they look so much alike in the books!

Nice shots Scott. Looks like a Yellow Belly to me too. They should be a lot bigger than a Downy, maybe twice the size.

canonloader wrote in post #3164997
Nice shots Scott. Looks like a Yellow Belly to me too. They should be a lot bigger than a Downy, maybe twice the size.

You are right Mitch...the Downy was about half the size of the Sapsuckers. Although its embarrasing to admit, I took the shot of the Downy in a tree not ten feet from the Sapsuckers, (in fact I dont think I even moved)...because it was so much smaller and had a smaller red patch on its head, I thought it was just an immature version of the bigger birds Dont birds travel as families

Did you get other shots of the last bird? Downy and Hairy woodpeckers have large white patches on their backs, unlike other woodpeckers. If you have a shot of that, the ID would be cinched.

Nice shots, I like #3 best

pknight wrote in post #3165164
Did you get other shots of the last bird? Downy and Hairy woodpeckers have large white patches on their backs, unlike other woodpeckers. If you have a shot of that, the ID would be cinched.

I probably did, however am at the office now...I'll check when I get home this evening.

I think it's a little early in the spring for a juvenile Sapsucker to be around. Mostly these small birds are only family units during nesting season. After that, they all break up into mixed mobs of birds that hang out together. Downys will hang with Chickadees, nuthatches, Jays and other birds. And, the Downys will stay the winter while Sapsuckers have to follow the sap south.

pknight wrote in post #3165164
Did you get other shots of the last bird? Downy and Hairy woodpeckers have large white patches on their backs, unlike other woodpeckers. If you have a shot of that, the ID would be cinched.

Here a shot showing the white patch on the back. Thanks for the help everyone...hopefully I'll never get these mixed up again!