What's In My Backyard?

I live on the west side of Columbia in an older neighborhood with lots of trees. I'll keep you updated on what is happening in my backyard.

April 2 - Spotted a Brown Creeper again. It's been several months since I had seen one. Also a Pileated Woodpecker is hanging off of my large suet seed cage enjoying the seed block. The American Goldfinch males are getting their bright yellow color again. Still have Junco, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin visiting the feeders.


March 15 - It's been a busy winter in the back yard. I have spotted an Easter Towhee under my feeders several time over the past few months. Also had Mockingbird at the heated bird bath. Others seen include Cardinals, Goldfinch, House finch, Purple finch, Chickadees, Tufted titmouse, Juncos, Mourning Doves, White-throated sparrows, White and Red-breasted nuthatches, Downy and Red-bellied woodpeckers, grackels, starlings, house sparrows, Carolina wren, Yellow-rumped warbler, and recently, Robins.
It is about time for migration so will be on the lookout for warbler, hummingbirds, and others passing through.


August 23 - Saw the Brown Thrasher this morning. My bird bath has been well used over the past weeks.

August 22 - I was able to spend about 20 minutes enjoying the feeders this morning and was rewarded by visits from several white-breasted nuthatches, chickadees, house finches, house sparrows, cardinals, tufted titmouse, doves, many hummingbirds and a couple of grey catbirds. Oh, yes, and a few squirrels. They were at the BirdWise Blend, Safflower, and the nectar feeders. (The squirrels were baffled and on the ground feeding.)

August 20 - With storms moving through, the birds have been feeding like crazy. Haven't seen the Brown Thrashers lately, but I have been out of town for a while too. The House Wrens fledged a while back and have not been seen. Still see and hear the Carolina Wrens. The safflower feeder has seen a great deal of activity as ususal. Hummingbird activity has picked up in the past week. School starts up here tomorrow. The rain is a welcome sght as things were very dry after dealing with 100 degree temperatures for a while. Nice temperature today, but back into the mid to upper 90's this week and humid.

July 24 - This website has been undergoing much work over the past few months and is now up and running again. A pair of House Wrens has nested in the convertible box in our backyard and the babies have fledged. In the back yard, I am seeing a Brown Thrasher family, Doves, Cardinals, Downey Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Robins, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Chickadees, House Finch, an occasional Goldfinch, Eastern Wood PeWee, House Wrens, and Carolina Wrens. One of the Cardinal pairs got "cowbirded". The Robins have long since fledged. Still lots of activity on and under all of the feeders.

May 13 - Happy Mother's Day. Common Nighthawks have been seen flying high as the sun goes down. The Goldfinch are mad at me for letting the feeder get low one day and have been scarce the past few days. Robins are still on the nest outside the window. I put up a bat box last fall and no occupants yet. At least 4 hummers are visiting the feeders out back.

May 8 - Grosbeaks are still here and feasting on my safflower feeder. There have been a great number of Grosbeaks reported all over the area. A Swainson's Thrush made a visit to the yard this morning. I have a pair of Chickadees and at lease one male Cardinal eating the mealworms.

May 6 - Indigo Buntings showed up for the first time in my back yard. What a beautiful bird. Combine this sighting with Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and you get an extra special back yard birding experience. A robin is sitting on a nest out back. Bats are catching insects after sunset.

May 1 - Great Horned Owl woke me up early this morning. Got to see it fly away. Still dark out.

April - Birds I have seen in my backyard.
American Goldfinch
American Robin
Black-capped Chickadee
Brown Creeper
Brown-headed Cowbird
Carolina Wren
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow
Cooper's Hawk
Dark-eyed Junco
Downy Woodpecker
European Starling
Hairy Woodpecker
House Finch
House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-rumped Warbler