Ladder-Backed Woodpecker

Here's a ladder backed woodpecker searching for insects in the oaks growing in my front yard. The red spots you see in the photo are berries from a yaupon tree that was blocking my view. I often see woodpeckers in the yard, but they don't show any interest in my woodpecker nest box.(March 2006) 

Northern Cardinal

This ugly bird is our resident cardinal. He's been here since we moved in, attacking his reflection in our windows all through spring. Last year, he lost all the feathers on his head, looking like a tiny mutant vulture. The feathers grew back, but have started to fall out again. I think this is caused by a feather mite that eats the shafts of the feathers. Since he cant prune his head, the mites completely destroy the feathers. I don't think it hurts him, and he always has a female with him. 

English (house) Sparrow

Like every place else in the US, I have a problem with English Sparrows. They were introduced from Europe in the 1850's and are one of the most common birds in the US. They are very aggressive and kill outcompete native song birds for nesting cavities. Ironically, they are declining in England. I use a variety of methods to discourage sparrows from nesting or feeding in my yard. 

Eastern Blue Bird

This is a male eastern blue bird. I usually see them pretty often in the spring, but they haven't used any of my nest boxes. I have a breeding pair in the yard now and they seem to be very interested in one of the boxes, so my luck may change this year. (Feb 2006) 

Blue Jay

This common bird isn't really all that common in my yard. We are on the very western edge of their range. I keep a peanut feeder for woodpeckers, and this attracts them occassionally. My sister lives 10 - 15 miles west of me and doesn't see them at all. Instead, she gets the western scrub jay. Jays have a bad reputation as a feeder bully, but the ones I get only eat peanuts and leave the other birds alone. 

Lesser Goldfinch (male)

These are male lesser goldfinch. Unlike the goldfinch, they keep the bright yellow color all year. Austin is on the very western edge of their range. Normally, there are 5 or 6 males around the yard.

House Finch

These are very common back yard birds. The male has a red head and breast. The females are all brown with a streaked breast. 

White Winged Dove

White wing doves used to be found only in Southern Texas. Over the past few years, they have moved north. Now they are a common back yard bird. 

American Kestrel

This is the same bird that we had last year. He showed up as soon as the weather started to get cool. (winter 2005-06) 

Downy Woodpecker

A female downy woodpecker eating insects from the texas persimmons. 

Green Heron

Green herons are a pretty common visitor to the pond behind the house. (summer 2005) 

Painted Bunting (male)

A pair of painted buntings spent time in the back yard over the summer. The female never feed from the feeder (the other bird in the picture is a female house finch), preferring to eat seed from the ground.

Summer Tanager (male)

Like the female, this male summer tanager was feeding on ripe persimmons from the texas persimmon trees behind the house. Once the persimmons were gone, so were the tanagers. (summer 2005) 

Summer Tanager (female)

This is one of my favorite pics. Over the summer, a pair of summer tanagers began eating the texas persimmons that grow in the back yard. Here's the female searching for a ripe one. (summer 2005) 

Wood Duck

In the spring of 2005, a pair of wood ducks visited the screech owl nest box. Unfortunatley, the hole was too small and they left after 30 minutes (first photo). I quickly built a wood duck box and hung it in a nearby tree (second photo). The ducks came back and nested, laying 12 eggs. This year I've put a small video camera in the box. Wood ducks usually return to nest in the same place, so I'm hoping to see the eggs hatch this year. (spring 2005) 

Red Shouldered Hawk

This hawk was perched above the small pond behind the house. I took this picture through a spotting scope. (Winter 2004) 

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

Rose breasted grosbeak are only found aound Austin during the spring (Apr/May) and fall (Sept/Oct) migration. This bird stop in for several days and ate both millet and sunflower seeds. I took this photo though a spotting scope, before I had a 300mm zoom. (spring 2005)