Apr 3 at new work place

Got a job down at the Barton Oaks towers near Zilker Park.

got these blurry shots of a ruby crowned kinglet.



































Also this 'dillo right below the tree the kinglet was in.

March reacp post

I went down to SA Feb. 29 on some bixness and my car broke down. While waiting for the repair shot, I chased this mocking bird all over the parking lot. This was the best shot I could get.















Here's a downy woodpecker I shot in my back yard March 2


























Here's a carolina wren singing for his territory March 2

















Here's a shot of a commom grackle (top), then a female redwinged blackbird clockwise from there, and finally a male redwing blackbird at the feeder March 12.



March 13 brought these colorful Northern Cardinals.



On the 25th, I saw my friend the mitred conure and his two monk parakeet friends.




March 28, Cedar Waxwings eating berries



Another Waxwing on the 31st.



Not pictured in March was a few more visits of the myrtle yellow-rumped warbler through about the end of the month eating peanut butter from my feeder, lots of house finch visits, more redwinged blackbirds and a few more visits from the orange crowned warbler.

Bad Orange-Crowned Warbler pix

Pretty sure that was the bird at the feeder today, but this fuzzy blog was the best pic I could get. Didn't take another picture, but I saw the Myrtle yellow-rumped warbler female again at the peanut butter feeder.

Better American Goldfinch pix

Here's some better pix of our little American Goldfinch friends. Took these today.

Coopers Hawk?

Check this guy out. Is this a Coopers or a large Sharp Shinned? I think it's a Coopers.




Sat in the bare tree for about 30 minutes. Then it dove out of the tree and spread its wings when it was just 10 feet of the ground. Very pretty.

New Bird pix

Some new guys at the feeder:

This is the winter plumage of the a female Myrtle Yellow-Rumped Warbler.






How about these winter plumed American Goldfinches

















How about these Purple Finches:




















And this guys not new, but this is the best photo I've even gotten of my Carolina Wren. Usually, these guys are after insects, but I spied them eating peanut butter too.

6th checklist

Limited my observation to my front yard feeders. Two species I've never seen at my feeders before. (Female American Goldfinch and a pine siskin). Here's what I got:

Here is the information you gave for this observation.

Record ID: S3565164
Email: tomas13.geo@yahoo.com
Locality: 78751, Austin, Travis County, TX
Observation Date: FEB 18, 2008
Start Time: 2:15 PM
Total Birding Time: 30 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: good
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
urban
Number of Species: 9
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
White-winged Dove - 10
Carolina Wren - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Northern Cardinal - 2
Great-tailed Grackle - 4
House Finch - 2
Pine Siskin - 1
American Goldfinch - 1
House Sparrow - 2


Information submitted through February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 60 minutes. Information submitted after February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 2 hours. To see how your results fit into the big picture, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count home page http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and click on "Results." If your bird checklist included unusual species or high numbers of individuals, you may receive an email from a regional editor requesting more details.

5th Checklist

Went to ponds at Central Market again today. Here's the list I uploaded:

Here is the information you gave for this observation.

Record ID: S3565055
Email: tomas13.geo@yahoo.com
Locality: 78756, Austin, Travis County, TX
Observation Date: FEB 18, 2008
Start Time: 9:15 AM
Total Birding Time: 45 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: good
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
deciduous woods
coniferous woods
urban
freshwater
Number of Species: 9
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
Mallard - 10
American Kestrel - 1
Rock Pigeon - 46
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 1
European Starling - 2
Red-winged Blackbird - 35
Great-tailed Grackle - 20
House Sparrow - 38


Information submitted through February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 60 minutes. Information submitted after February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 2 hours. To see how your results fit into the big picture, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count home page http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and click on "Results." If your bird checklist included unusual species or high numbers of individuals, you may receive an email from a regional editor requesting more details.

4th checklist, but not from home

I decided to check out the pond at Central Park, behind Central Market and was seriously surprised at the lack of bird activity.

Still I did see a flock of red-wing black birds there. Here's the complete list.

Here is the information you gave for this observation.

Record ID: S3543711
Email: tomas13.geo@yahoo.com
Locality: 78756, Austin, Travis County, TX
Observation Date: FEB 17, 2008
Start Time: 2:45 PM
Total Birding Time: 45 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
deciduous woods
coniferous woods
freshwater
Number of Species: 4
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
Wood Duck - 2
Mallard - 10
Rock Pigeon - 18
Red-winged Blackbird - 25


Information submitted through February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 60 minutes. Information submitted after February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 2 hours. To see how your results fit into the big picture, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count home page http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and click on "Results." If your bird checklist included unusual species or high numbers of individuals, you may receive an email from a regional editor requesting more details.

3rd GBBC checklist submited

Beautiful day today. Lots of sun and the birds were out and loving it. My early morning checklist follows. Since then, I've seen Carolina Chickadees and a Turkey Vulture.

Here is the information you gave for this observation.

Record ID: S3535713
Email: tomas13.geo@yahoo.com
Locality: 78751, Austin, Travis County, TX
Observation Date: FEB 17, 2008
Start Time: 8:45 AM
Total Birding Time: 30 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: excellent
Habitat(s):
deciduous woods
coniferous woods
Number of Species: 11
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
White-winged Dove - 8
Monk Parakeet - 2
Blue Jay - 4
Carolina Wren - 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
European Starling - 2
Northern Cardinal - 2
Great-tailed Grackle - 2
House Finch - 2
House Sparrow - 5


Information submitted through February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 60 minutes. Information submitted after February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 2 hours. To see how your results fit into the big picture, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count home page http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and click on "Results." If your bird checklist included unusual species or high numbers of individuals, you may receive an email from a regional editor requesting more details.

Thanks for participating in the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count. Please join us again for next year's count. Mark your calendars for February 13-16, 2009.

If you enjoyed the Great Backyard Bird Count, check out eBird at http://www.ebird.org, where you can report the birds you see every day of the year. eBird helps you keep track of your lists--and archives your sightings so they're accessible to everyone, including other bird watchers and scientists. It's easy and fun to use--and it's absolutely free!

The Great Backyard Bird Count and eBird are joint projects of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Please help support these and other efforts on behalf of birds by becoming a member. Visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Membership for membership in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/index.shtml for membership in the National Audubon Society. Thank you for your support!

2nd GBBC checklist

I've submitted my 2nd check list.

Here is the information you gave for this observation.

Record ID: S
Email: tomas13.geo@yahoo.com
Locality: 78751, Austin, Travis County, TX
Observation Date: FEB 16, 2008
Start Time: 1:15 PM
Total Birding Time: 15 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: fair
Habitat(s):
deciduous woods
coniferous woods
urban
Number of Species: 10
All Reported: no
Checklist:
White-winged Dove - 1
Monk Parakeet - 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Blue Jay - 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2
Northern Mockingbird - 2
European Starling - 3
Cedar Waxwing - 13
Northern Cardinal - 1
Great-tailed Grackle - 35
Comments ----------------------------------------
I saw a few flying flocks I couldn't indntify. About 15 to 20 birds. Might have been swallows, but not sure.
-------------------------------------------------


Information submitted through February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 60 minutes. Information submitted after February 18, 2008 will be included in online reports within 2 hours. To see how your results fit into the big picture, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count home page http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and click on "Results." If your bird checklist included unusual species or high numbers of individuals, you may receive an email from a regional editor requesting more details.

Thanks for participating in the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count. Please join us again for next year's count. Mark your calendars for February 13-16, 2009.

If you enjoyed the Great Backyard Bird Count, check out eBird at http://www.ebird.org, where you can report the birds you see every day of the year. eBird helps you keep track of your lists--and archives your sightings so they're accessible to everyone, including other bird watchers and scientists. It's easy and fun to use--and it's absolutely free!

The Great Backyard Bird Count and eBird are joint projects of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Please help support these and other efforts on behalf of birds by becoming a member. Visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Membership for membership in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/index.shtml for membership in the National Audubon Society. Thank you for your support!

First bird checklist in!

I submited my first bird checklist in this years Great Backyard Bird count!

It runs today through Monday. And it's easy. You just go out side for at least 15 minutes, count birds and submit a checklist. See this site:

The following is from the email theysent me after submittal.

Thank you for entering your observation in this year's Great Backyard Bird Count. Below is a report summarizing the bird checklist you submitted.

Here is the information you gave for this observation.

Record ID: S3512088
Email: tomas13.geo@yahoo.com
Locality: 78751, Austin, Travis County, TX
Observation Date: FEB 15, 2008
Start Time: 10:30 AM
Total Birding Time: 30 minutes
Party Size: 1
Skill: excellent
Weather: good
Habitat(s):
deciduous woods
coniferous woods
grassland
urban
Number of Species: 8
All Reported: yes
Checklist:
White-winged Dove - 2
Monk Parakeet - 3
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1
Carolina Wren - 1
Northern Mockingbird - 1
Northern Cardinal - 2
Great-tailed Grackle - 63
House Sparrow - 2
Comments ----------------------------------------
The grackles were flocking in the trees and very vocal.
-------------------------------------------------


Information submitted through February 19, 2007 will be included in online reports within 30 minutes. Information submitted after February 19, 2007 will be included in online reports within 2 hours. To see how your results fit into the big picture, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count home page http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/ and click on "Results." If your bird checklist included unusual species or high numbers of individuals, you may receive an email from a regional editor requesting more details.

Thanks for participating in the 2007 Great Backyard Bird Count. Please join us again for next year's count. Mark your calendars for February 15-18, 2008.

If you enjoyed the Great Backyard Bird Count, check out eBird at http://www.ebird.org, where you can report the birds you see every day of the year. eBird helps you keep track of your lists--and archives your sightings so they're accessible to everyone, including other bird watchers and scientists. It's easy and fun to use--and it's absolutely free!

The Great Backyard Bird Count and eBird are joint projects of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society. Please help support these and other efforts on behalf of birds by becoming a member. Visit http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Membership for membership in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or http://www.audubon.org/gbbc/index.shtml for membership in the National Audubon Society. Thank you for your support!

Grackles taking it on the chin!

Normally, I'm not one to feel sorry for grackles, one of the most aggressive and plentiful flocking birds in our area. But yesterday, gust winds blew a large grackle chick out of the nest and into the jaws of my alert pup, Peaches. And today, I heard something crash against my home office window with a whimpery squeak. Birds don't crash against my windows, so I wnt out on the front porch and looked around the corner to see a red tailed hawk with a male grackle in it's talons taking off and heading around the corner behind the house.

Guess what? Not many birds in the yard now.



The only thing remaining of the grackle!



Where the birds crashed into the screen on my window!

Backyard Bird Count Starts Friday!

Audubon along with the Cornell Ornithology Lab are running the 11th annual Great Backyard Bird count The 15th through the 18th, and you can help. All you gotta do is go out in the back yard for at least 15 minutes on any or all of those weekend days and note the birds you see. Then you report them online. See this site for details. I did it last year and had a blast. The site explains how to do it, even if you aren't super confident identifying birds.

Sharpshinned Hawk video

Taken February 6 in my neighbors yard.

Lots of activity!

Only a week away from the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count, the ol's back yard is brimming with activity.

Lots of species are staking territory and calling for mates. Cardinals, Wrens, Chickadees, Blue Jays and Mocking Birds immediately come to mind. And the flocking bords are back in great numbers. Lot's of white-winged doves, grackles and starlings. A few house sparrows, but not in great numbers yet.

I finally got a shot and some video of the sharpshinned hawk that's been hanging around the yard snatching unsuspecting birds at my feeders and bird baths.



I'll post th videos when I get them cut down to manageable sizes. Was really bummed, cuz I thought I captured a downy woodpecker on a neighbors tree on video, only to find that the dang thing didn't record properly. First downy I had seen in a long tine.

Female Red Bellied WP

Dipu took this shot of a female red-bellied woodpecker in his backyard just minutes ago.

Sharp shinned Hawk and Owl Pellet exploded!

Was moving a water bucket along the side of the house when I heard a song bird in the Juniper. I looked up just in time to see an explosion of wings and noise to match as a hawk came out of the tree about 12 feet from me and flew under the branches and up to the peak of the neighbors roof. It sat there looking at me, so I could get a good look at it. It's wings were grey, belly was pale and it had a small head. And it was relatively small. It had been skulking about the feeder trying to take an unsuspecting songbird.

Was gone by the time i retrieved my camera, but judging by the descriptions, I think it was a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Could have been a Coopers, but I think it was smaller. I've been seeing lots of Red-tail action in the'hood too, but they seem to prefer doves and Jays, while this hawk wasn't much bigger than Doves or jays.

Also pulled apart the owl pellet. Looks like he ate a dark grey bird. Found feathers and a whole foot along with hollow bones.

Pictures to come.

Great Horned Owl and More

Just a few nights ago, I was awakened at about 4:15 a.m. by loud hooting in my backyard. @nd time in a week I'd heard an Great Horned Owl back there. Today, I was transplanting a few shrubs when I came across a 3.5 inch long owl pellet that I'm assuming came from a Great Horned Owl. See Pix below:






A pellet is what the Owl regurgitates after eating a meal whole. It contains the indigestibles-bones, featers and such. What's cool about them, is by picking them apart, you can discover what the meal was. I did that before on a smaller pellet and posted the result on this blog. Stay tuned, I'll pick this one apart as well and let you know what I got!

Oh and I saw another Ruby-Crowned Kinglet a couple of days ago in the back yard Pecan tree.

Back from too long a layoff....

Wow. Didn't mean to away so long.

Got busy with a DVD project, Thanksgiving and then Xmas and my brother 50th brithday that was combined with New Year's celebration.

This is a bit of a down time in the backyard as mostly the year round birds dominate and aren't to interesting to blog about. Lots of flocks of grackles and starlings in their blander winter garb, and the occasional white wing dove and house sparrow.

I have had daily visits from Carolina wrens looking for insects on the front porch every morning. And I hear Carolina Chickadess in the juniper trees almost everyday.

And I've seen Redtail hawks more frequently including a close fly by a few days ago as we drove downtown.

As for visitors, the ruby-crowned Kinglet has been back since Dec. 3 (my first sighting anyway) checking the bark of Pecan trees for insects. And today, I heard a single note call I didn't recognize. It was high-pitched and sharp. After looking around for a while, I found it in the bare Pecan tree in my neighbors back yard.

He didn't look familiar either, so I grabbed my binocs and camera and sure enough, he was a new sighting!

A Northern Flicker, a fairly large bird in the woodpecker family.

Here's some snaps.