RE: [cobirds] The Morrison hybrid Sapsucker

[Doug Ward]

Sapsucker Lovers,

 

Wanted to chime in from afar (currently) on the Morrison sapsucker in question. 
 I’m hoping the bird is still around when we get back to Colorado in a couple 
of weeks and can run over to Morrison to check it out in the flesh to be 
certain, but in the meantime I believe there is enough information shown on 
Diane’s excellent photos to form an opinion.  As a member of the Idaho RBC, we 
get A LOT of “Red-breasted” Sapsucker submissions and most (+/- 75%) go into 
several rounds of debate due to their ambiguity.  Many are hybrids and are 
closer to the “Southern” Red-breasteds (S.r.daggetti) in appearance, like this 
guy, so obviously garner most of the discussion.  However, this particular bird 
would likely not pass as a “pure” Red-breasted primarily based on the reasons 
Chris laid out below (ie; too much white behind eye, relatively darkish 
auricular, as well as darker shade of the nape), but of concern to me is the 
darkening seen on the lower portion of the red breast (red also somewhat 
restricted in extent for a “pure” bird), as well as the extent and length of 
white in the malar.  It’s too bad we can’t see the back in her photos as I 
suspect it would also show too much pale (whitish vs yellow-green) marking, 
though this does seem to show somewhat in her first photo lateral to the white 
covert patch.

 

So, I also believe the bird is a hybrid R-b X R-n Sapsucker which in no way 
diminishes its awesomeness as a find in Colorado.  In many respects, I view the 
hybrids we stumble across from time-to-time to be much more fascinating than 
pure forms as they make you think deeper about what you’ve encountered and 
their specific origin story.  My two bits.

 

Happy New Year,

Doug

Currently Coeur d’Alene, ID

 

From: cobirds@googlegroups.com  On Behalf Of Scott 
Somershoe
Sent: Tuesday, January 5, 2021 7:47 PM
To: Colorado Birds 
Subject: [cobirds] The Morrison hybrid Sapsucker

 

I'm posting for Steve Mlodinow as his emails to CO-Birds are bouncing for some 
reason (I thought 2020 was over?). :) 

Scott Somershoe, Littleton CO

 

 

Greetings All

 

The Morrison sapsucker is the same one that was found nearby in November. At 
that time, I saw it along with Chris Wood, and we both felt strongly that it 
was a Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker. It is quite similar to hybrids that I 
saw in the Pacific Northwest (where the southern race of RB Sapsucker is not a 
concern).

 

>From Chris Wood:

 

I think the single best thing to look for is the area behind the eye and 
eyeline. Typically there is no white to a very small white spot behind the eye. 
The extreme tends to be a small white spot with a very narrow line continuing – 
this narrow line is narrower than the white spot. This is quite different from 
the broader white line like you see on this bird, which is as wide as the white 
spot behind the eye. This helps offset the dark cheek even more than you pure 
RB. This is subtle, but I think noticeable when you look for it. I’ve not seen 
this shown by a pure Red-breasted. There is quite a bit of variation here, but 
I think if you look at the images again, you will see what I’m talking about. 
Also note the dark nape, which is typical of hybrids. This varies by the 
position of the head, and you often don’t see it until the head is turned at 
the correct angle.

 

Also, it took but a quick look at Macaulay Library to ferret out the following 
hybrids that look rather similar to the Morrison bird

 

>From WA

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/129528771

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/118894051

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/68272731

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/55431481

 

>From OR

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/233203111

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/240664991

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/158534241

 

Best Wishes

Steven Mlodinow

Longmont, CO

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Re: [cobirds] The Morrison hybrid Sapsucker

[Mark Chavez]

Can you show us the photos that show the black in the nape? I have circulated 
these photos to respected birders in Southern California that state there is no 
way to rule out the southern race.  This was 10 -0 in favor of a good or not 
able to rule out.  I don’t see this birds on a daily basis so I referred to 
them.  So the question is.. can u say 100%. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 5, 2021, at 8:47 PM, Scott Somershoe  wrote:
> 
> 5431481
> 
> From OR
> https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/233203111
> https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/240664991
> https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/158534241
> 
> Best Wishes

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[cobirds] The Morrison hybrid Sapsucker

[Scott Somershoe]

I'm posting for Steve Mlodinow as his emails to CO-Birds are bouncing for
some reason (I thought 2020 was over?). :)
Scott Somershoe, Littleton CO


Greetings All

The Morrison sapsucker is the same one that was found nearby in November.
At that time, I saw it along with Chris Wood, and we both felt strongly
that it was a Red-naped x Red-breasted Sapsucker. It is quite similar to
hybrids that I saw in the Pacific Northwest (where the southern race of RB
Sapsucker is not a concern).

>From Chris Wood:

I think the single best thing to look for is the area behind the eye and
eyeline. Typically there is no white to a very small white spot behind the
eye. The extreme tends to be a small white spot with a very narrow line
continuing – this narrow line is narrower than the white spot. This is
quite different from the broader white line like you see on this bird,
which is as wide as the white spot behind the eye. This helps offset the
dark cheek even more than you pure RB. This is subtle, but I think
noticeable when you look for it. I’ve not seen this shown by a pure
Red-breasted. There is quite a bit of variation here, but I think if you
look at the images again, you will see what I’m talking about. Also note
the dark nape, which is typical of hybrids. This varies by the position of
the head, and you often don’t see it until the head is turned at the
correct angle.

Also, it took but a quick look at Macaulay Library to ferret out the
following hybrids that look rather similar to the Morrison bird

>From WA
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/129528771
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/118894051
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/68272731
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/55431481

>From OR
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/233203111
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/240664991
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/158534241

Best Wishes
Steven Mlodinow
Longmont, CO

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[cobirds] Loveland CBC on Jan 1

[Nicholas Komar]

The 21st consecutive Loveland CBC was held on Jan 1, 2021, with 53 volunteer 
observers in 35 parties, following strict COVID-19 guidelines. We detected 102 
species, plus 8 others during Count Week. New high counts were registered for 
Redhead (516), Long-tailed Duck (5), Bufflehead (19), Great Blue Heron (27), 
Virginia Rail (7), Northern Pygmy-owl (3), Belted Kingfisher (29), Downy 
Woodpecker (67), Hairy Woodpecker (21), Prairie Falcon (8), Blue Jay (362), 
Black-capped Chickadee (563), White-breasted Nuthatch (76), White-crowned 
Sparrow (131), Spotted Towhee (29) and Lesser Goldfinch (8). 

New species for this Count included Double-crested Cormorant, Northern 
Bobwhite, and Canyon Towhee. Other unusual species included White-winged Scoter 
(3rd year), Long-tailed Duck (5th yr), Red-breasted Merganser (4th yr), 
Glaucous-winged Gull (2nd yr), American Three-toed Woodpecker (2nd yr), 
Harris’s Sparrow (6th yr). Additional species observed during Count Week 
included Barrow’s Goldeneye, Horned Grebe, Northern Goshawk, Dunlin, 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Gray Catbird, Red Crossbill and Evening Grosbeak. 

Special thanks to all our volunteers, and the City of Loveland. 

Nick Komar, Fort Collins
Denise Bretting, Loveland
Co-compilers



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Re: [cobirds] Boulder Tufted Duck report?

[Ira Sanders]

David
Nothing about this report, especially the anonymous nature of it, and the
fact that 2 birds were reported from the wrong habitat, rings true or
should lead us to consider it.
Ira Sanders

On Tue, Jan 5, 2021, 6:56 AM DAVID J WALTMAN  wrote:

> https://ebird.org/checklist/S78686560
> Can anyone confirm if this report is correct! A pair of Tufted Ducks?
> David Waltman
> Boulder
>
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> 
> .
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Re: [cobirds] Re: Boulder Tufted Duck report?

[Caleb A]

Given that in the comments for Tufted Duck, it says they were in the creek, 
and although I'm not very experienced with sea ducks, I would assume that 
if there was a Tufted Duck in Colorado, it would hit a reservoir, not a 
creek. My guess is that it was confused for a pair of male Ring-necked 
Ducks/Lesser Scaup?

*The birds are happy, and so am I*
*~Caleb Alons, Larimer County*

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Re: [cobirds] Re: Boulder Tufted Duck report?

[KATHY HOLLAND]

I think this may be the same Anon Birder that posted seeing a Eurasian Wigeon 
about a month ago -- that no one else reported.  So I would agree.

K. Holland
Centennial

> On 01/05/2021 11:25 AM Carl Bendorf  wrote:
>  
>  
> Looking at the rest of the checklist---it didn't exactly inspire 
> confidence!
>  
> Carl Bendorf
> Longmont
> 
> On Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 6:56:19 AM UTC-7 David Waltman wrote:
> 
> > > https://ebird.org/checklist/S78686560
> > Can anyone confirm if this report is correct! A pair of Tufted 
> > Ducks?
> > David Waltman
> > Boulder
> > 
> > > 
>  
> 
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> 


Katherine Holland


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[cobirds] Re: Boulder Tufted Duck report?

[Carl Bendorf]

Looking at the rest of the checklist---it didn't exactly inspire confidence!

Carl Bendorf
Longmont

On Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 6:56:19 AM UTC-7 David Waltman wrote:

> https://ebird.org/checklist/S78686560 
> Can anyone confirm if this report is correct! A pair of Tufted Ducks? 
> David Waltman 
> Boulder 
>

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[cobirds] Boulder Tufted Duck report?

[DAVID J WALTMAN]

 
 
  
   https://ebird.org/checklist/S78686560
   
  
   Can anyone confirm if this report is correct! A pair of Tufted Ducks?
   
  
   David Waltman
   
  
   Boulder
   
 




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