We followed this guy around in very dark pine forest while on a hike in Yellowstone National Park for quite some time before he finally settled down for a little break. Luckily he chose a spot where just enough light was getting in through the trees to get a somewhat decent photograph of this wonderful looking bird. It was the first time we had seen a Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker and hopefully not the last.
Happy Friday.
nature has no boss 
Looks like it was well worth the patience you showed in getting such a good shot. Thanks!
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Hi Andy, yes indeed patience paid off well that day. The patience was probably the result of seeing a bird for the first time and trying to get a good look. Hope you are having a great day and wishing you a wonderful weekend.
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Thanks Mike and you too!
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Your welcome and I sure plan to have a great weekend.
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Some kind of woodpecker? Not seen in UK so lucky you and Yellowstone.
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I’ve never seen one in person..beautiful!
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Hi, agreed and wishing you a wonderful day.
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pretty bird!
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I can’t disagree.
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Beautiful capture of the legendary bird! I love that you caught the sliver of red along the throat and the wisps of lichen on the branch. Happy weekend and first day of spring!
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Thanks Eliza and it sure does feel like spring today. Have a wonderful weekend as well and hope you have a chance to enjoy some time outside.
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Beautiful bird and a very nice image…
Really liked the composition 🙂
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Thanks Sreejith, this guy was a bit elusive that day but sure fun to try to photograph. Thanks again and have a great weekend.
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Glad bird stillness and nice light coincided for you :-). Such a lovely shot! The bird looks marvelous and the sparkly green and blue background is oh so wonderful.
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Hi, hope your week is off to a great start. Yes we did catch quite a break for that one minute of bird stillness with the light just a reminder of spring.
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What beauty nature supplies for us to care for.
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Hi Paula, yes indeed for us to care. Hope we are not getting graded for that as a species.
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First time I have seen one. Beautiful bird.
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Hi, It was our first as well and we have updated our bird identification and now are calling this guy A Williamson’s; sapsucker. Hope you are a hiving a great day and your week is off to a great start.
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Well this is the first time I have seen a Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker too! What a beautiful and interesting looking bird and what a great photograph you’ve taken to share with us. Thank you. 🙂
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HI Jane, we have gotten a bit of feedback elsewhere and now we are calling this guy a Williamson’s sapsucker. Still the first one we have seen but we stand corrected on out bird ID. Hope your week is off to a wonderful start.
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Great capture of this beautiful bird!
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Thanks Amy, hope you are doing well and your week is off to a great start.
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I see those here, but have never seen their yellow belly quite so well. Beautiful shot! Love the branch and lighting too.
Mary
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Hi and thanks, we stand corrected not eh ID as this appears to be a Williamson’s sapsucker. That explains the more intense yellow belly on the male. Hope your day is going well and your week off to a great start.
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Very nice, Mike!
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Thanks Katrina, hope you are having a great start to your week.
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The whole picture emanates.. spring! Colors and sunshine and that beautiful bird seems to start singing the next second. Is it really a “sap sucker”? Have to google that, no such birds here. 🙂
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Hi Suzan, yes it is a sap sucker. They make holes like a woodpecker but shallow holes in which they drink the sap of the trees like hummingbirds drink from flowers. This was the first one I have seen.
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Reblogged this on Donkey Whisperer Farm Blog and commented:
Birds are another one of my favorite things to study
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Hi and glad to have you following along. Thanks for passing along the photo.
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Just found your blog, I re-blogged and I am following you. Love your blog!
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Thanks.
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beautiful bird with a name that sounds like an insult from an old gangster movie (“Why you yellow bellied sap sucker… I oughta…”) haha 😀
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That is exactly how I feel about that name and I probably did hear that exact phrase sometime when I was a kid and watching a cowboy or gangster movie. Hope your day is going well.
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You guys got some amazingly beautiful birds!
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We do sometimes feel lucky to be able to have the variety of birds we do. Thanks again and all the best.
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