I just wrote about this pesky bird, the red headed (breasted/bellied…I don’t know) sapsucker, that has been annoying/damaging my Sea Berry (Botanica) tree in the back yard.
Yet again, this morning, I looked out to see the Sapsucker/Hummingbird combo working over my tree! Ok, enough is enough. Out I went armed with…well hell I couldn’t find anything to arm myself with. I grabbed a Tiki light stuck in the ground near the tree. I waved it, I poked toward the bird and the rascal looked at me and moved a few feet higher, out of range, while continuing pecking away at the bark. I could see the damage that had already been done. Hmm?
I didn’t want to hurt the bird, but I mean come on. The folks, where I bought the tree, said the tree was impervious to pests (“Pests & Diseases: Sea Berry is bothered by no significant pests or diseases in North America.”) But, they may have not considered the Sapsucker. This Sea Berry tree has fed countless birds through the Winter with its bright orange berries. The Sapsucker apparently goes for blood or sap. I will have to admit to securing some sort of projectile and scaring away the bird, but I have no doubts he returned as soon as I closed the back door and headed off to work.
I seriously need to go fishing. I haven’t been out since October and this shows it!
Tree must be infected with insects,
No, actually the drilling produces sap that attracts insects and birds followup back to eat. Crafty Sapsucker and other smaller birds dine as well.
He may be a pest to you. But he sure is a handsome fella. Hope you get to go fishing soon. much love as always.
If the bush is indigenous flora, leave the bird alone. It will fly soon. People that continue to attempt to bend nature to their conceptual framework are destroying our planet. If the bush is not a native species, you might want to replace it with one that is.
Humor Bill…humor! Some logic that might make sense to you: the tree…oh my a Russian non-native tree…should be viewed as the ‘sustainable’ world for the ‘community’ of wild life that dine on the high yield of berries Fall into Spring…that pesky Sap Sucker (a lone individual) is oblivious to the community of birds and squirrels. While he migrates off after having devastated their world…they will eventually be left of a world bereft of a lovely Sea Berry tree. See? He must be stopped for the good of the community!
DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME ~ go swing a fly, much better than swinging at a bird with a tiki light. The bird and your neighbors are probably all getting a good laugh though.