Sunday, July 15, 2012

Red-naped Sapsuckers

Too much death and busyness so far this summer - hopefully it is all over.

Had fun two days last week recording activities of Red-naped Sapsuckers.  This pairs home, feeding area and activites take place mostly in four aspen trees in the Moody Creek area.  There are two other pair less than two hundred yards from this one in the same grove of aspen.

Mom feeds one of the babies a mouth full of ants.  Probably the veggies of the sapsucker world.


Next she gathers aspen juice from a neighboring tree and then goes back and give the chicks a drink .


Daddy comes by with a mouth full of juicy bugs, mostly butterflies with the wings removed.  But probably more tasty than the ants that Mom brings.


A baby takes most of Dad offering, leaving only a couple of ants for the other.


The two parents made 23 visits to the home to feed the hungry in a two hour period.

Just another wild day in Idaho.

10 comments:

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Wonderful pictures -- the one of the dad with the mouth full of insects is just amazing.

I am sorry you've had a rough summer -- hope things go well from now on. Glad to see you pop up on my Google Reader.

Bekkieann said...

Amazing photos. Hope things settle down for you for awhile now. I know how it is.

Sharon M said...

Fantastic series of shots!

JM said...

Great photos! Watching baby birds and parents never gets old.

Janie said...

Sorry to hear your summer has been a rough one so far. Hope it improves. Great photos of the parents taking care of their young.

Mary Howell Cromer said...

How interesting Bill. I really enjoy this species around here, but do not often get images worthy of sharing. I was just telling my Bill the other day that it had been 2 months since you last posted...was becoming concerned and then...here you are. Take care~

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Wow, incredible photographs.

We are going to be up in your neck of the woods visiting my Dad in Idaho Falls and my cousin in Rigby.

troutbirder said...

Fantastic closeups Bill. We have the yellow bellied variety here...

Jann said...

Great photos Bill, esp that 3rd one!

A.satubuana said...

very nice article. thank to share.. i love it.