Red wolves #1803 and #2062 seem to be getting along well. They’re frequently seen together with, so far, no observed conflicts. With mating season (Feb.) fast approaching, this behavior is promising.

While standing and watching the wolves I noticed a cat-like meow and a gentle tap, tap, tap coming from high up in the trees inside the wolf enclosure, a yellow-bellied sapsucker at work.

These rather small sized woodpeckers drill evenly spaced wells into the bark of trees. The wells fill with sap, and you guessed it, the woodpecker sucks up the sap. As a bonus, the sap attracts insects which the birds also eat. And, if you’re interested in birds in general, the sap-filled wells attract other birds looking for a quick, energizing, sweet snack or protein rich insect goodie.

A quick way to distinguish sapsuckers from other woodpeckers of the same size is the vertical (relative to the bird’s typical attitude while perched on a tree trunk) white mark on its side (the mark is actually on the bird’s wing). This white mark is present in both adults and immature birds of both sexes.

Yellow-bellied sapsuckers don’t nest locally, although there is a small nesting population in our western mountains above about 4000 feet. They’re a northern species and on average most sapsuckers arrive here in October, departing in April. Some may arrive as early as September and linger into May.