Hello Fran - Since I also live in Madrona not far from you, I was
especially interested in your question as to how common your sighting of
a Red-breasted Sapsucker was in Seattle this time of year.

When I went to investigate at Bird Web and eBird, I thought I'd share
the information I found. You can see the maps and charts (including how
to find these maps and charts for this and other species) at:
http://goo.gl/UI9yxI

What I think I found was this: Red-breasted Sapsuckers are found
throughout the year in Seattle and Western Washington. They are more
commonly found in migration (late May-June and September) than at other
times of the year. They are more commonly found in the mountains than in
lowland areas, especially than in lowland developed areas. They prefer
treed or forested areas.

Jane Hadley
Seattle, WA