Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Scientific name:	Sphyrapicus varius
Date:	9-23-2015
Time:	4:13 pm
Length of time observed:	20 seconds
Number:	1
Age:	Unknown
Sex:	Female
Location:	Backyard of 136 Braewick Road, Salt Lake City, UT, 84103
County:	Salt Lake
Latilong:	40.7877, -111.88763
Elevation:	4870 ft
Distance to bird:	20 feet
Optical equipment:	None
Weather:	Partly Cloudy
Light Conditions:	Well-lit
Description: Size of bird:	About 8 inches
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Woodpecker
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Black and buff with bright red cap
(Description:) Bill Type:	Pointed
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Bright red cap No red on nape or throat Buff belly with light grey barring White on wings in striping pattern Black bib
Song or call & method of delivery:	None heard
Behavior:	Flew in, moving up tree branch foraging, flew away.
Habitat:	Grass with bushes and trees. Landed in cherry tree.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Downey Woodpecker: Male Downey was about 5 feet away on another branch, he was smaller and had the wrong coloration. Beak proportion was off Hairy Woodpecker: Wrong color pattern Northern Flicker: Wrong coloration and size. NOFL are common in my yard, they looked nothing like this Red-naped Sapsucker: There was no red on the nape or the throat, bird had good feather condition and did not appear to be molting Williamson's Sapsucker: No red on throat and bright red cap. No green tint
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have never seen a YBSA before but I am very familiar with DOWO and NOFL because there is a nesting pair of each in my yard. HAWO are all over my work.
References consulted:	The Sibley Guide to Birds, 2nd Edition; Sibley Birds West: Field Guide to Birds of Western North America; allaboutbirds.org; BirdsEye App; iBird Pro North America App
Description from:	From memory
Observer:	Kristina Haycock
Observer's address:	136 Braewick Road, Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	None
Date prepared:	9-24-2016
Additional material:
Additional comments:	I realize this is a very rare sighting, hence all the references I consulted. When I first saw the bird I had no idea what it could be. I came to this conclusion by process of elimination. Despite the description being from memory, I am POSITIVE the only red on this bird was the cap. It was what caught my attention in the first place.