Today I decided to ignore the light rain, and headed with Marian to Everett to try for the apparent adult female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that has been faithfully seen in a specific tree for a couple of days. On arrival, after traffic, I noted a couple of birders looking up at a tree, and on closer approach the birder left was good friend Bruce LaBar (see episode #3 of The Bird Banter Podcast). He pointed up, I saw the bird, dashed back to the car for my camera and to fetch Marian. A few photos, a short time in the rain, and we had had enough, but WA species #396 for my life state list is in the books, or on the blog and in eBird anyway.


I see Yellow-bellied Sapsucker nearly every summer when I visit Maine. They are pretty common around the family camp at McGrath Pond, but I’ve not made a chase for the occasional one seen in WA until now. Years ago I was not really trying hard on my WA list, as I had seen them many times on the east coast, and lately the times just have not worked for me until today. One of my easier stakeout ticks.
After this Bruce and I tried for a Harris’s Sparrow that had been seen just blocks from the YBSA, but rain made it tough birding, and we only gave it a half-hearted try.
I finished the day with a couple of stops in Edmunds, the waterfront and the nearby marsh, and added 5 more Snohomish county ticks, Harlequin Duck, Black Scoter, Brandt’s Cormorant, Black Turnstone and Surfbird. Lunch in the Panera Bread drive through and an easy drive home before traffic made for a great day of birding in Snohomish County.
Good birding and very good day!