Hi Tweets,

Today on the Kent-Auburn CBC, Dave Swayne and Carol Johnson found an immature
plumaged Red-naped or Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Due to the fact that
Red-naped Sapsuckers apparently molt into an adult plumage by mid to late
September and Yellow-bellies retain the juvenile head pattern into the
winter, there is a very good chance this IS a Yellow-bellied. According to
Ken Kaufmann's 'Advanced Birding' guide "any "obvious immature" (his quotes)
seen after September is pretty certainly a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker."

I intend to go look for this bird tomorrow. If anyone else cares to look here
are the directions.

>From Seattle or Tacoma head towards Kent on the Valley Freeway (Hwy 167).
Take the 277th St exit off 167 and go west to the West Valley Highway
(Confusing I know, but the West Valley Hwy is *not* the same as the Valley
Freeway. The parrallel each other, and the West Valley Hwy is smaller, with
stoplights and such.)

Go south (left) on West Valley Hwy about 1/2 mile(?) passing S. 285th on the
left and then come to S. 287th on the right side. Turn right on S. 287th and
go about 70 yards down the dead end road til you see a yard where a small log
cabin type outbuilding or shed is being built. There is an apple tree next to
that and the sapsucker was seen in that apple tree twice on Sunday.

I haven't been there yet so can't vouch for the exactness of the directions,
but I think they're good. Feel free to post your opinions if you go see the
bird. Also, there is usually good birding on S. 285th, just up the road. We
had a flock of 7 LB Dowitchers for our CBC on that short road, in the pasture
on the North side. There are very often multiple Eurasian Wigeons in the
flock of Am Wigeon that ahng out there, although none were reported yesterday.

good birding,

Jim Flynn