[Birdtalk] Backyard birds this fall

[Steve Coleman]

I have had several species show up in my yard this year for the first time.

First are California Quail. I have lived in my home in Woods Cross for 10 years and never had Quail until this year. I have a family of  a dozen or more Quail feed in my backyard every day. This spring there were 3 pair that visited every day to feed then they disappeared during the summer and two weeks ago they returned only now there is twice as many of them.

Hermit Thrush, I have never seen a Hermit Thrush in my yard until this fall. I saw my first one early in September and I see several every day now. 

Orange Crowned Warblers; another first for my yard. This year I have seen many, there seems to be a small flock of them for the last two weeks.

Western Tanagers I saw my first WT this spring, a female flew through my yard. This fall I have had at least a dozen for the last month, they seem to be leaving now though, I only saw one last week.  

Black-headed Grossbeak, I occasionally see Grosbeaks in my yard but his fall there have been many more than usual.

Other birds that I have seen in the past but have seen many more this year than in other years are: Empid Flycatchers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Western Wood Pewee, Downey Woodpecker, Red-naped Woodpecker, American Robins gorging on juniper berries, Wilson's Warblers, MacGillivray's's Warblers have become regular Spring and Fall visitors, Common Nighthawk but none for the last two weeks.  

Five years ago I had a small flock of White-crowned Sparrows and one Harris's Sparrow that spent Fall and Winter in my backyard. I have not seen any in my yard since then until this fall. I again have a small flock of White-crowned Sparrows in my yard (no Harris's Sparrow yet but I am watching).

Common fall and winter visitors that are still coming, Ruby-crowned Kinglet seems like more this year, House Sparrows, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Scrub Jays (no Stellars Jay has ever visited my yard but I am watching for them), Black-capped Chickadee, European Starling, Cedar Waxwings haven't shown up yet, they usually show up in January, and Northern Flickers.

Pine Siskins and Lesser goldfinches were common three years ago but I haven't seen any the last two years so I am watching for their return as well. 

Five years ago was a good year for my back yard and this year is even better so I am going to make a prediction. Five years ago we had an invasion of Common Red-polls in the area, I had one show up in my yard so I am going to be watching for them again this year.

No Sharpies yet but I expect they will be coming around soon since my backyard is very active.

We had a pair of Swainson's hawks that nested a half a block down the street from us this year, they raised three offspring that fledged. They visited my yard often, I suspect they were hoping to catch my fairly vocal Cockatoo outside of her flight cage. They have since gone south the Cockatoo is still vocal.

Happy birding
Steve
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