As it was about lunch time, I went up to my mother-in-laws as is my custom now. My wife cares for her, which includes fixing meals. I thought I’d go up early to visit, and was explaining a little more about the rare bird I found on her property last Wednesday, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, which I have seen again on Friday and earlier this morning. While there, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a movement outside the window which I felt could have been that bird descending from the cedar to the poplar, which seems to be his habit from what I can tell. I looked out the window and sure enough, it was him (or so I thought). I did note that his red throat and crown seemed to be more vividly red than last I saw him, but I did not think much of it at the time.
As I needed better pics, and had brought the camera just in case, I went out on the front porch and started snapping away. As he was being cooperative, I moved out onto the lawn to obtain better ones. Since he was still being cooperative, I headed down the driveway where the light would be better, and he continued to cooperate. I probably took > 100 shots. Such is the benefit of cameras these days.
He finally flew to the oak grove next to my house, and I headed inside as lunch was now on the table. After a few bites I decided to check out some pics, so turned the camera on and the first pic I saw showed a red nape. I have to admit I was let down, assuming it was the same bird, which would cancel it having been a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
But the more I looked at the pics, and now comparing it with the previous ones, I am quite sure there are two birds here. Of the former pics, there are 3 which show the back, and there is no hint of red on the nape, and, the back pattern and coloring is different, more extensive goldish coloring on the previous, and less extensive and whitish on the new ones. I had also looked at the first bird quite well with binocs and never saw any red on the nape.
Also, the white wing bar (?) is prominent on all the pics of the first bird, but not so on the second bird. It seems mostly covered by the chest/belly feathers on the second bird.
Also, the former pics show a large white supercelium over the eye, which is virtually missing in the latter ones. Even the underside pattern appears different between the two.
The first six pics are the more blurry ones of the first bird from last Wednesday, and the rest are the clearer ones of the second bird from today. I have to admit also that while taking the ones today I was so fixed on getting good shots that I was not concentrating on the bird and its features.
Admittedly, the former ones are blurry, but sufficient to show these differences. I also think that even with the blurriness of the former pics, they should show the red throat and crown more vividly if these were the same bird.
Now, all I need is for a Williamson’s Sapsucker to show up.
Am I serious or delirious? Any comments?
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| The breast/chest pattern also seems different than that in the first pic of the second bird |
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| No red on the nape |
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| Lots of white above the eye |
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| Another shot where white above the eye is prominent |
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A shot of the back showing no red on the nape and the back pattern is
goldish and extensive compared to the ones below. |
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| No red nape and more golden back feathering. In all these shots the white vertical bar is well exposed, but not so in the next series of shots. |
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| The belly feathering covers up the white vertical bar |
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| The belly feathering covers up the white vertical bar |
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| He was not very photogenic in this shot |
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| Not much white above the eye |
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| Not much white above the eye |
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| A good shot to compare the back pattern |
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