Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Chief Corner Stone’s Keystone – By A J Mithra

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) by Daves BirdingPix

Although most non-birders believe that the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is a fictitious bird created just for the humorous name, in fact it is a widespread species of small woodpecker.
Its habit of making shallow holes in trees to get sap is exploited by other bird species, and the sapsucker can be considered a “keystone” species, one whose existence is vital for the maintenance of a community.
The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker frequently uses human-produced materials to help
in its territorial drumming. Street signs and metal chimney flashing amplify the irregular tapping of a territorial sapsucker.
The sapsucker seems to suffer no ill effects of whacking its bill on metal,
and a bird will return to a favorite sign day after day to pound out
its Morse code-like message.

How much effort do we take to share the message of hope to the hopeless?
How many souls do we touch each day?
These birds don’t seem to bother if, others are listening to its message or not…
It still returns each day to pound out its Morse code-like message…
Are we really taking any effort to pound out the message of Love which
JESUS showed on the Cross of Calvary?

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) by Kent Nickell

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is the only woodpecker in eastern North America that is completely migratory. Although a few individuals remain throughout much of the winter in the southern part of the breeding range, most head farther south, going as far south as Panama. Females tend to migrate farther south than do males. These birds migrate to the Southeastern United States, West Indies and Central America, leaving their summer range. This species has occurred as a very rare vagrant to Ireland and Great Britain.

As the name implies, Sapsuckers drill a series of wells in trees and drink the sap that oozes forth. Forages for insects by gleaning, probing, prying, tapping, and fly catching. Drills series of shallow holes in bark of tree, licks up sap.
They breed in young forests and along streams, especially in aspen and birch.
Winters in variety of forests, especially semi open woods…
They are often quite important ecologically for a given habitat, as several other animal species use sapsucker wells for feeding.

Isaac dug well after well, and the herdsmen of Gerar took it from him…
This incident is found in the book of Genesis 26 : 15 to 22 …
Did someone take possession of your blessings?
Just leave it for GOD to intervene and start digging another well..

And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands (1 Samuel 17:47)

Early in the spring the sapsucker tests many trees around its selected nesting site by making sample drillings before selecting ones it prefers. These trees, because of quantity or sugar content of the sap, are visited several times a day for the rest of the season and sometimes are used as a food source for several years.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him (Psalms 34:8)
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psalm 119:103)

In commercial forests or orchards, favorite feeding trees of the sapsucker are left untreated, so that the birds will concentrate their feeding activities on these favorite trees, which in turn often protects nearby trees from serious injury…

JESUS, the Tree of Life, knew that satan is after us to drill holes of sorrow and holes of hurt, holes of poverty and holes of doubts and suck the life out of us so that we would die of sin than live life eternal..
That is the reason that, JESUS planted HIMSELF beside us on the cross to save us from destruction…

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. ( 2 Corinthians 5:15)

LORD JESUS….
How great thou art, how great thou art….

Have a blessed day!

Your’s in YESHUA,
A J Mithra

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Sapsuckers are part of the Picidae – Woodpeckers Family of the Piciformes Order.

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