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Bird Lists

This page contains my life list of birds spotted and identified as well as a list of the birds that have visited my backyard.

I started this list in March 2007 and began with any birds that I had previously identified or that I see regularly around central Texas.

I haven’t done much birding beyond the Austin area yet, so most of these are central Texas birds.

I also occasionally write about and post pictures of birds.

  1. Herring Gull (Common on Aquidneck Island, Rhode Island 1985-88)
  2. Purple Martin (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  3. Eastern Meadowlark (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  4. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  5. Inca Dove (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  6. White-winged Dove (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  7. Mourning Dove (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04
  8. Red-winged Blackbird (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  9. Common Grackle (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  10. House Finch (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  11. Northern Mockingbird (regular visitor to yard in Pflugerville, TX 4/98-5/04)
  12. Great-tailed Grackle (common in central TX)
  13. Rock Dove (common in Austin)
  14. Turkey Vulture (common in central TX)
  15. Brown Pelican (8/04 Galveston, TX)
  16. Blue Jay (regular visitor to yard in Austin, TX 9/04-)
  17. Northern Cardinal (regular visitor to yard in Austin, TX 9/04-)
  18. Bald Eagle (3.11.06 Canyon of the Eagles, TX.)
  19. Great Blue Heron (3.11.06 Canyon of the Eagles, TX)
  20. American White Pelican (3.11.06 Canyon of the Eagles, TX)
  21. Osprey (3.11.06 Canyon of the Eagles, TX)
  22. Red-tailed Hawk (3.11.06 Canyon of the Eagles, TX)
  23. Ring-billed Gull (3.11.06 Canyon of the Eagles, TX)
  24. Stellar’s Jay (6.16.06 Sugar Pine Point State Park, Lake Tahoe, CA)
  25. Canadian Goose (6.16.06 Tahoe City Commons, Tahoe City, CA)
  26. Common Raven (Occasionally seen at work; Georgetown, TX)
  27. Greater Roadrunner (7.12.06 Stone Canyon Trail, Round Rock, TX)
  28. Chipping Sparrow (3.16.07 Backyard, feeder on fence)
  29. Black-chinned Hummingbird (3.17.07 Backyard, feeder on porch)
  30. Black-crested Titmouse (3.17.07 Backyard, feeder on porch)
  31. Carolina Wren (3.17.07 Backyard, feeder on porch)
  32. Carolina Chickadee (3.18.07 Backyard, suet feeder)
  33. Killdeer (3.27.07 WCAD Georgetown, TX)
  34. House Sparrow (3.31.07 Backyard, under the feeder)
  35. Barn Swallow (4.1.07 Flying over the neighborhood)
  36. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (4.11.07 WCAD Georgetown, TX)
  37. Cattle Egret (4.12.07 Inner Loop Drive; Georgetown, TX)
  38. Cliff Swallow (4.20.07 Bridge @ IH35 & Inner Loop Drive; Georgetown, TX)
  39. Little Blue Heron (4.28.07 Star Ranch Golf Club; Hutto, TX)
  40. Tufted Titmouse (5.26.07 Backyard, woodpecker feeder)
  41. European Starling (6.1.07 Backyard, perched on fence then flew away)
  42. Black Vulture (6.11.07 Circling over SH45/FM620 in Round Rock, TX)
  43. Great Egret (6.19.07 Eating a fish while wading in pond on Avery Ranch Road; Austin, TX)
  44. Western Kingbird (6.20.07 Flew in front of the car on Lakeline Mall Drive; Cedar Park, TX)
  45. Snowy Egret (6.22.07 Flying along Brushy Creek; Round Rock, TX)
  46. Green Heron (6.22.07 Hunting along the edges of Brushy Creek Lake; Cedar Park, TX)
  47. American Crow (6.22.07 Congregating in the middle of Smyers Lane; Round Rock, TX)
  48. Fish Crow (6.30.07 Flying over my in-laws’ house; Orange, TX)
  49. Yellow-crowned Night Heron (7.1.07 Hunting along a ditch; Orange, TX)
  50. Ladder-backed Woodpecker (10.27.07 South tree in backyard; Austin, TX)
  51. American Coot (11.9.07 Pond near the house; Austin, TX)
  52. Mallard (11.12.07 Brushy Creek Lake; Cedar Park, TX)
  53. American Goldfinch (11.12.07 Brushy Creek; Cedar Park, TX)
  54. Northern Shoveler (12.30.07 Pond near the house; Austin, TX)
  55. Bewick’s Wren (1.27.08 Backyard)
  56. Lesser Scaup (2.15.08 Pond near the house; Austin, TX)
  57. Eastern Phoebe (2.15.08 Pond near the house; Austin, TX)
  58. Double-crested Cormorant (2.18.08 Brushy Creek Lake; Cedar Park, TX)
  59. Red-shouldered Hawk (2.23.08 Pond near the house; Austin, TX)
  60. Gadwall (3.1.08 Pond near the house; Austin, TX)
  61. Downy Woodpecker (3.17.08 Neighborhood trail; Austin)
  62. Eastern Bluebird (3.20.08 Neighborhood trail; Austin)
  63. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (3.20.08 Neighborhood trail; Austin)
  64. American Robin (4.28.08 Backyard; Austin)
  65. Golden-fronted Woodpecker (6.22.08 Backyard)
  66. Swainson’s Hawk (7.5.08 Over the toll road; Austin)
  67. Mute Swan (7.9.08 Lady Bird Lake; Austin)
  68. Cave Swallow (7.11.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  69. Black-necked Stilt (7.15.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  70. Spotted Sandpiper (7.15.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  71. White-eyed Vireo (7.15.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  72. Bank Swallow (7.29.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  73. White-faced Ibis (7.29.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  74. Lark Sparrow (8.7.08 Camp for All; Brenham, TX)
  75. Wood Duck (8.13.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  76. Red-bellied Woodpecker (8.13.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  77. Loggerhead Shrike (9.17.08 WCAD; Georgetown, TX)
  78. Crested Caracara (9.21.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  79. Least Grebe (11.11.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  80. Blue-winged Teal (11.11.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  81. Ruddy Duck (11.11.08 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  82. Ring-necked Duck (12.16.08 Pond down the street; Austin)
  83. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (12.31.08 Backyard; Austin)
  84. Orange-crowned Warbler (1.4.09 Backyard suet feeder; Austin)
  85. White-crowned Sparrow (1.12.09 WCAD; Georgetown, TX)
  86. American Kestrel (1.13.09 WCAD; Georgetown, TX)
  87. Yellow-rumped Warbler (1.13.09 Pond down the street; Austin)
  88. American Wigeon (1.14.09 Pond down the street; Austin)
  89. Eastern Screech Owl (1.16.09 Sally’s neighbor’s backyard; Austin)
  90. Greater Yellowlegs (1.19.09 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  91. Swamp Sparrow (1.19.09 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  92. Northern Pintail (1.28.09 Pond down the street; Austin)
  93. Lesser Goldfinch (2.3.09 Backyard, nyjer feeder on porch; Austin)
  94. Pied-billed Grebe (2.13.09 Pond down the street; Austin)
  95. Accipiter sp. -probably Sharp-shinned (2.14.09 Flying over backyard feeders; Austin)
  96. Least Sandpiper (3.16.09 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  97. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (3.16.09 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  98. Bufflehead (3.16.09 Hornsby Bend; Austin)
  99. Golden-cheeked Warbler (3.17.09 Turkey Creek/Emma Long Park; Austin)
  100. Song Sparrow (3.18.09 Pond down the street; Austin)
  101. Brown-headed Cowbird (3.21.09 Backyard feeders)
  102. Black-and-white Warbler (3.26.09 Neighborhood Pond Trail)
  103. Eurasian Collared Dove (4.3.09 Maxim’s parking lot on Richardson; Houston)
  104. Laughing Gull (4.4.09 Herman Park; Houston)
  105. Baltimore Oriole (4.27.09 Backyard)
  106. Common Yellowthroat (5.6.09 Neighborhood Trail; Austin)
  107. Broad-winged Hawk (5.23.09 Cemetery in Lanagan, MO)
  108. Grey Catbird (5.23.09 Relative’s yard in Goodman, MO)
  109. White-breasted Nuthatch (5.23.09 Ginger Blue Inn; Noel, MO)
  110. Chimney Swift (5.24.09 Town Square; Neosho, MO)
  111. Black-bellied Whistling Duck (5.27.09; Neighborhood pond trail)
  112. Roseate Spoonbill (7.10.09; Shangri La Botanical Gardens; Orange, TX)
  113. White Ibis (7.11.09; Boliver Peninsula, TX)
  114. Sandwich Tern (7.11.09; Boliver Channel, TX)
  115. Ash-throated Flycatcher (9.4.09; Neighborhood Trail; Austin, TX)
  116. Belted Kingfisher (11.7.09; Brushy Creek below the dam; Cedar Park, TX)
  117. Cedar Waxwing (12.21.09; Hornsby Bend; Austin, TX)
  118. Green-winged Teal (12.21.09; Hornsby Bend; Austin, TX)
  119. Western Scrub Jay (3.6.10; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; Austin, TX)
  120. Anhinga (3.27.10; Shangri La; Orange, TX)
  121. Neotropic Cormorant (3.27.10; Shangri La; Orange, TX)
  122. Painted Bunting (5.7.10; Hornsby Bend; Austin, TX)
  123. Eastern Kingbird (5.7.10; Hornsby Bend; Austin, TX)
  124. Western Gull (7.10.10; LAX; Los Angeles, CA)
  125. Pigeon Guillemot (7.12.10; Alcatraz; San Francisco, CA)
  126. Brandt’s Cormorant (7.12.10; Alcatraz; San Francisco, CA)
  127. Dark-eyed Junco (7.13.10; Muir Woods National Monument; Marin County, CA)
  128. Chestnut-backed Chickadee (7.13.10; Muir Woods National Monument; Marin County, CA)
  129. Hairy Woodpecker (7.13.10; Muir Woods National Monument; Marin County, CA)
  130. Violet-green Swallow (7.13.10; Muir Beach Overlook; Marin County, CA)
  131. Black-crowned Night Heron (7.13.10; Sausalito Marina; Sausalito, CA)
  132. Brewer’s Blackbird (7.20.10; Palisades Park; Santa Monica, CA)

2009 Pond Trail Big Year (an attempt to see how many birds I can ID on a 1-mile stretch of trail between my house and a small pond down the street):

  1. Black-bellied Whistling Duck
  2. Gadwall
  3. American Wigeon
  4. Blue-winged Teal
  5. Northern Shoveler
  6. Northern Pintail
  7. Ring-necked Duck
  8. Pied-billed Grebe
  9. Great Blue Heron
  10. Great Egret
  11. Little Blue Heron
  12. Green Heron
  13. Yellow-crowned Night Heron
  14. Black Vulture
  15. Turkey Vulture
  16. Osprey
  17. Red-shouldered Hawk
  18. Killdeer
  19. White-winged Dove
  20. Mourning Dove
  21. Black-chinned Hummingbird
  22. Red-bellied Woodpecker
  23. Ladder-backed Woodpecker
  24. Downy Woodpecker
  25. Eastern Phoebe
  26. Ash-throated Flycatcher
  27. Western Kingbird
  28. Scissor-tailed Flycathcer
  29. Blue Jay
  30. American Crow
  31. Purple Martin
  32. Barn Swallow
  33. Carolina Chickadee
  34. Black-crested Titmouse
  35. Carolina Wren
  36. Bewick’s Wren
  37. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  38. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
  39. Eastern Bluebird
  40. American Robin
  41. Northern Mockingbird
  42. European Starling
  43. Orange-crowned Warbler
  44. Yellow-rumped Warbler
  45. Black-and-white Warbler
  46. Common Yellowthroat
  47. Chipping Sparrow
  48. Song Sparrow
  49. Northern Cardinal
  50. Red-winged Blackbird
  51. Common Grackle
  52. Great-tailed Grackle
  53. House Finch
  54. Lesser Goldfinch
  55. American Goldfinch
  56. House Sparrow

Visitors to my yard (Austin, TX 9/04 – present):

  1. Northern Cardinal
  2. Blue jay
  3. Northern Mockingbird
  4. Carolina Wren
  5. Chipping Sparrow
  6. White-winged Dove
  7. Black-crested Titmouse
  8. Common Grackle
  9. Carolina Chickadee
  10. Black-chinned Hummingbird
  11. House Sparrow
  12. House Finch
  13. Great-tailed Grackle
  14. Mourning Dove
  15. European Starling
  16. Red-winged Blackbird
  17. Ladder-backed Woodpecker
  18. Bewick’s Wren
  19. American Robin
  20. Golden-fronted Woodpecker
  21. Western Kingbird
  22. Red-shouldered Hawk
  23. Barn Swallow
  24. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  25. Orange-crowned Warbler
  26. American Goldfinch
  27. Red-bellied Woodpecker
  28. Lesser Goldfinch
  29. Accipiter sp. (probably Sharp-shinned Hawk)
  30. Song Sparrow
  31. Brown-headed Cowbird

Project FeederWatch 2008-2009:

Birds seen at and around the feeders in my backyard during Project FeederWatch 2008-2009 (11/08-04/09).

The numbers are the highest numbers of individuals seen at one time.

  1. White-winged Dove (25)
  2. Chipping Sparrow (24)
  3. House Sparrow (20)
  4. American Goldfinch (8)
  5. Common Grackle (8)
  6. House Finch (5)
  7. Northern Mockingbird (4)
  8. Brown-headed Cowbird (4)
  9. Black-crested Titmouse (3)
  10. Mourning Dove (3)
  11. Carolina Chickadee (3)
  12. European Starling (3)
  13. Blue Jay (3)
  14. Lesser Goldfinch (3)
  15. Bewick’s Wren (2)
  16. Carolina Wren (2)
  17. Northern Cardinal (2)
  18. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (2)
  19. Red-bellied Woodpecker (2)
  20. Black-chinned Hummingbird (2)
  21. Orange-crowned Warbler (1)
  22. Ladder-backed Woodpecker (1)
  23. Accipiter sp. (1)
  24. American Robin (1)
  25. Red-winged Blackbird (1)
  26. Song Sparrow (1)