Very much enjoyed this article about one of my favorite birds. In my experience sapsuckers certainly will tap maple trees - the very ones that we have tapped ourselves when making maple syrup. They have their favorite trees too, resulting in bark turned black from all the fungus that grows over the dried up sap that on good days (cold nights, warm days) almost pours from the sap wells. Sadly, we seem to be a way station rather than a destination and the sapsuckers almost never stick around. By the time the hummingbirds and the Cape Mays arrive, the sapsuckers are gone. On the other hand, Yellow-rumped Warblers, like you say, are absolute demons for the sap wells - I've been looking for them every day (they're not here yet in NW WI) by staking out the sapsucker's favorite trees. I've also found overwintering butterflies - commas and Compton tortoiseshells - drinking from sap wells. How they find them is a mystery!
Very much enjoyed this article about one of my favorite birds. In my experience sapsuckers certainly will tap maple trees - the very ones that we have tapped ourselves when making maple syrup. They have their favorite trees too, resulting in bark turned black from all the fungus that grows over the dried up sap that on good days (cold nights, warm days) almost pours from the sap wells. Sadly, we seem to be a way station rather than a destination and the sapsuckers almost never stick around. By the time the hummingbirds and the Cape Mays arrive, the sapsuckers are gone. On the other hand, Yellow-rumped Warblers, like you say, are absolute demons for the sap wells - I've been looking for them every day (they're not here yet in NW WI) by staking out the sapsucker's favorite trees. I've also found overwintering butterflies - commas and Compton tortoiseshells - drinking from sap wells. How they find them is a mystery!