Rondeau Ric

Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Rondeau Provincial Park, April 19, 2023. More often heard than seen eat least around our yard. Sphyrapicus varius The sapwells made by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers attract hummingbirds, which also feed off the sap flowing from the tree. In some parts of Canada, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds rely so much on sapwells that they time their spring migration with the arrival of sapsuckers. Other birds as well as bats and porcupines also visit sapsucker sapwells. source- allaboutbirds-org.

Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, April 19, 2021. We here and see them in the yard this time of year but, it is unusual to have in the the little stream. Sphyrapicus varius The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. Although a few individuals remain throughout much of the winter in the southern part of the breeding range, most head farther south, going as far south as Panama. Females tend to migrate farther south than do males. Source -Cornell Lab of Ornithology- All About Birds

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker makes two kinds of holes in trees to harvest sap. Round holes extend deep in the tree and are not enlarged. The sapsucker inserts its bill into the hole to probe for sap. Rectangular holes are shallower, and must be maintained continually for the sap to flow. The sapsucker licks the sap from these holes, and eats the cambium of the tree too. New holes usually are made in a line with old holes, or in a new line above the old. Rondeau Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, April 8, 2021.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers showed up yesterday and today we had three chasing each other around our "sapsucker tree". The really like an old half dead tree int the yard above all others. Ended up with a 6 woodpecker day. Only one I missed was a red-head, they aren't back yet. Pileated (heard), downy, hairy, flicker, red-bellied and the sapsucker. Sphyrapicus varius The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker makes two kinds of holes in trees to harvest sap. Round holes extend deep in the tree and are not enlarged. The sapsucker inserts its bill into the hole to probe for sap. Rectangular holes are shallower, and must be maintained continually for the sap to flow. The sapsucker licks the sap from these holes, and eats the cambium of the tree too. New holes usually are made in a line with old holes, or in a new line above the old. source -  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/gui…/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/

We have one tree the yellow-bellied sapsuckers love. They have been working it over for at least 15 years. If you look closely you can see the holes in the bark. Sphyrapicus varius The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. Although a few individuals remain throughout much of the winter in the southern part of the breeding range, most head farther south, going as far south as Panama. Females tend to migrate farther south than do males. source - https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/lifehistory