Just have to brag about the newest addition to my life list, a Red Breasted Sapsucker! I was walking to the University District and I heard the tapping of a woodpecker foraging in the tree I was passing by. I automatically assumed it was a flicker because they are REALLY common in city limits here. But since this was an opportunity to get a close look I stopped. Lo and behold it was not a flicker. I briefly mistook it for a Hairy Woodpecker until I saw the completely red head. Fortunately by a wonderful coincidence the bird had the courtesy of letting me see it two blocks away from the Seattle Audubon so I was able to duck my head in and tell them I saw a woodpecker with a red head. (It’s difficult when the accurate description actually is a hindrance in identification, sort of like trying to identifying a Steller Jay by telling someone you saw a Blue Jay.) So going through the various guides and finding that Red-Headed Woodpeckers don’t get farther west then Michigan, my sighting was identified as a sapsucker. (though they did sound surprised that it’s head was as red as I described)
