Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Scientific name:	Sphyrapicus varius
Date:	October 29, 2023
Time:	2:40 pm
Length of time observed:	10 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Adult
Sex:	Male
Location:	Grafton
County:	Washington
Latilong:	37.10'02.9"N 113.04'55.l"W
Elevation:	3,665'
Distance to bird:	30 feet
Optical equipment:	Swarovski 10x43 Binoculars
Weather:	Clear, sunny, temp 57F
Light Conditions:	Bright sun, clear blue sky
Description: Size of bird:	8. inches bill to tail
(Description:) Basic Shape:	woodpecker shape
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	black and white mottling on back and flanks; light yellow wash on belly
(Description:) Bill Type:	solid. black, pointed thin cone
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Black and white mottling over back, tail and flanks. light yellow wash on belly, red patches on forehead and throat. Black and white bridle-markings on head, with white line down upper shoulder to breast. White linear patch on wing from shoulder to mid-wing.
Song or call & method of delivery:	None
Behavior:	Moving quickly, around main trunk and branches of small tree, pecking at bark as though searching for bugs.
Habitat:	Small tree in open field, Tree about 20 feet from wire fence surrounding field. Located on east side of north-south dirt road about 40 feet south of entrance gate to historic buildings
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Ruled out woodpeckers common to SW Utah: Ladder-back WP; Downy WP, Hairy WP and Red-breasted sapsucker because none of these had the two distinctive red patches and black and white bridle pattern on head and light yellow wash on belly like this bird. NOTE: The weather the night previous to sighting was extremely windy with gusts 20-40mph all over Washington County. This bird probably blew into area during storm.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	Saw this species on a trip to southern Texas in 2011. I led weekly bird walks in ZNP for 10 years, observing frequently flickers and woodpeckers commonly in area.
References consulted:	Sibley App on telephone at time of sighting. Later reference: Stokes Birds,Peterson Field Guide to Birds, Sibley Guide to Birds, Birds of North America, North America (American Museum of Natural History)
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Lucy Ormond
Observer's address:	2216 West 70 South
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Debra Belle, Henry and Linda (friends accompanying me. They saw the bird before I did and pointed it out to me.)
Date prepared:	October 30, 2023
Additional material:
Additional comments:	Over the years I have listed 22 flickers, sapsuckers, and woodpeckers that I have observed. I have yet to see Red-cockaded and Ivory-Billed....