Subject: Fwd: How much slop is there in sapsucker varaiation, range?
Date: Jun 18 07:10:03 2003
From: Rolan Nelson - rnbuffle at yahoo.com


Mike,
While the RED BREASTED SAPSUCKER is our usual "west side" bird, and the RED NAPED is more common east of the cascade crest, some crossover is not unheard of. I have seen RED BREASTED on the east slopes and I am sure others have seen RED NAPED on this side. My guess is that you've got an example of range overlap.
-Rolan

Mike Patterson <celata at pacifier.com> wrote:


"Sharon & Don Haller, Astoria" wrote:
>
> Last Saturday while at a relative's graduation party near Olympia, WA, I
> thought I saw a Red-naped Sapsucker. The party was at suburban park that
> I believe was called Lake Lucinda Park or Lucinda Park. The bird was at a
> small nearby lake that I presume is Lake Lucinda, although the De Lorme CD
> does not show either the lake or the park. The location was at the narrow
> end of the lake in an area of shallow water with several dead snags and
> thick shoreside brush. Access to the point in question was by a mowed
> path from Laguna to the lake. The general area is west of I5 and Scott
> Lake and north of Littlerock and south of Delphi. Very approximate
> gridblock 10T 0496800 5200600, NAD 27, by later map inspection.
>
> Time was about 6pm. The bird, and its distinctive head and upper body,
> was first seen from about 5 feet in shrubby shoreline shrubs. After a
> short (2-3 sec) view it flew away. As I stepped clear of the bush I was
> able to watch it land on a snag 25 to 30 feet away, in excellent light,
> and watch it watch me for about another 30 seconds. The red, black and
> white head pattern was clear and, I feel, unmistakeable. No binos, but
> did have my glasses on and cleaned. I was the only person present.
>
> I am familar with Red-headed and Red-naped Sapsuckers from western Oregon
> and eastern Oregon respectively. At the time, I assumed that this was one
> of the latter that had a range that swung over to the west in Washington
> more than Oregon.
>
> >From the books I have I see that's not the case. Since almost all of the
> rarities I think I see aren't (Haller's Razor), my first thought is that
> there is perhaps a fair amount of variation within what used to be one of
> three subspecies of YB Sapsucker. The example of flickers comes to mind.
> I do not know, so I'm asking. The second thought is that the range may
> not be so distinct in WA as the field guides suggest (and as Gabrielson
> and Jewett and Gilligan et al confirm for Oregon.) The third thought is
> that there may be juvenile plumage stages that I am not familiar with.
> The one thing it was not was anything close to an adult RH Sapsucker.
>
> I await enlightenment, or at least comments.
>
> For the cynics among you who noted the word "party", I should add that I
> had nothing to drink other than water.
>
> Don Haller
> PS please do not reply directly to me as my ISP has a runaway security
> software problem and the text will be deleted all or in part. replies to
> the list are unaffected.

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

A child who becomes acquainted with the birds about him
hears every sound and puzzles out its meaning with a cleverness
that amazes those with ears who hear not.

-Neltje Blanchan

http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html

Rolan Nelson
Burley, WA
rnbuffle at yahoo.com

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