Backyard Bird Sightings from Our Members and Neighbors
Spring is here, and it’s nesting season! In March, many of you wrote to tell us about signs of spring in your yards. You documented birds in pairs, and birds investigating nest sites (some typical, some unusual) and building their nests. One of you even spotted an egg! Migratory birds that spend the winter here, on the other hand, are getting ready to leave for their breeding grounds elsewhere, and you documented how these birds are changing too, molting and developing their breeding plumage.
As many of you know, there is a serious salmonellosis outbreak right now among Pine Siskins and other songbirds, and SCVAS has recommended that birders take down their feeders and baths for the time being. Despite the challenge (and diminished joy) of birding at home without these items, you took the opportunity to document the plants that attract birds to your yards. Read on for an amazing array of plants that birds love.
Our March Backyard Bird of the Month was the Bewick’s Wren, and you told us how fond you are of this buzzy, personality-rich little bird! We’ve dedicated a section at the end of this edition to your stories and photos of this wren species.
Finally, we’ve added a new feature to All Around Town this month, a cumulative list of all the bird species that you’ve reported to us since our first edition in the fall of 2020. This month, five new species are making their All Around Town debut - the Mallard, Bufflehead, California Quail, Hutton’s Vireo, and California Thrasher! Enjoy the round-up.
Recent Observations
In mid-March, Jennifer Oliver (San Jose) wrote to share: “We put up our first nest boxes this year, after doing a lot of research. We were so excited that an Oak Titmouse pair took up residence in one box this last week!”
At the end of the month, she sent us an update: “We officially now have a nest and we saw one egg during our last weekly check. How exciting! It’s been so fun to watch the birds go in and out with nesting materials this last week.”
Jennifer added: “I saw a new bird for me at our neighborhood park - a California Thrasher. Its song was what caught my attention. It was so melodious!”
Airdrie Kincaid (Santa Clara) wrote to tell us: “I have a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches that visit the backyard regularly but was surprised this month by a brief visit from a Red-breasted Nuthatch.”
She also shared: “In past years I have seen Mallards in my front garden, but this month a pair visited the backyard.”
Emma Shelton (Menlo Park) writes: “California and Spotted Towhees, White-crowned Sparrows, and Dark-eyed Juncos are always out in the back and front yards scuffling around the plants and finding something to eat. Every morning there are several White-crowned Sparrows. The backyard is small, with a patio and low plants and shrubs up to the fence. The birds love hanging out in the large photinia, valley and coast live oaks, flowering pear tree, redwoods, acacia and privets, and digging around the smaller plants.”
“The front yard is open, with a large valley oak across the street, plus some redwoods, and lots of camellias and other shrubs between the yards. All the birds in front like hanging out in the nandina, camellias, and flowering quince. I watched a Golden-crowned Sparrow munch on the quince flowers the other day.”
“Chestnut-backed Chickadees are regulars, hanging around in the bushes in the front and back yards. I saw a female Purple Finch on the back fence. I haven’t seen woodpeckers lately, but I’ve heard the Nuttall’s Woodpecker drumming almost every day, I think in the big valley oak across the street.”
Emma adds: “At Eaton Park in San Carlos, my husband and I heard a Hutton’s Vireo, and briefly could see it flitting through the oaks next to the trail.”
Deanne Tucker (Los Altos) told us: “The walnut tree in our backyard has these buds on it before the leaves come in - the squirrels love to eat them. I got a nice photo of the ubiquitous House Finch eating them as well.”
Pete Dunten (Mountain View) wrote to say: “Our backyard Yellow-rumped Warblers are showing signs of molting into their fresh nuptial plumage! A sure sign of spring.”
Becky Ewens (San Jose) says: “The bicolor cobra lily plants that have sprung up are attracting the Bushtits and the Anna’s Hummingbirds, and the gnats from the percolation ponds behind my house are keeping the Yellow-rumped Warblers happy.”
She continues: “The only positive to our backyard fence falling down after the last storm was that I had access to the percolation ponds behind my house. I found two Buffleheads back there every day I visited.”
Becky adds: “On March 27, I saw an orange hummingbird. I couldn’t tell if it was an Allen’s or a Rufous because the resident territorial Anna’s Hummingbird chased it away. Hopefully it will be back so I can get a photo.”
Deborah Jamison and Steve Patt (Cupertino) told us: “This Mourning Dove stopped by our balcony to explore an amaryllis pot, and in the process, we learned what that thin light blue line around the eye is…”
“...it’s an eyelid!”
Linden Skjeie (San Jose) tells us: “I think we're on a California Quail expressway. The birds come through every day. They rummage through the redwood duff, take dust baths, and maybe spend the night in the juniper tree.”
Diane McCoy (Palo Alto) writes: “March and the beginning of April have been interesting and funny in our yards. Though we continue to have what seems like hundreds of Cedar Waxwings in our neighborhood trees, it doesn’t discourage the Nuttall’s Woodpecker from traveling up and down the tulip trees scavenging for bugs.”
She continues: “The Dark-eyed Junco pair have made a nest deep down behind the lily of the Nile (agapanthus) bushes lining our backyard fence. We were happy to see the Chestnut-backed Chickadees checking out the backyard birdhouses, but we’re not sure anyone settled in.”
Diane adds: “The Anna’s Hummingbirds are enjoying the blooming Indian hawthorn and yellow jessamine along with our geraniums, and the Lesser Goldfinches and company continue to enjoy the seeds on the birch trees.”
Bewick’s Wren
The Bewick’s Wren is a charismatic backyard bird, hopping and buzzing its way along fences and buildings, looking for insects. This tiny wren is also a loud and varied singer! Listen for its songs this spring.
Eve Meier (San Jose) wrote in mid-March: “This time of year, the Bewick's Wren is the first bird to greet me every morning, singing before it is even light out!”
Diane McCoy (Palo Alto) says: “The Bewick’s Wren pair in our backyard (again, yay!) this year love the bougainvillea bush to hide in again, but they were scoping out our door wreath, maybe as a possible nesting site.”
Becky Ewens (San Jose) shared this picture from her yard. Bewick’s Wrens can often be identified by the jaunty angle of their tails!
Jennifer Oliver (San Jose) sent us this photo of a singing wren: “I was glad to hear that the Bewick’s Wren was your bird of the month. We have a bunch of them in our neighborhood lately.”
Jennifer adds: “The second picture I got a big laugh out of - I happened to snap the photo mid-jump! A funny outtake for sure!”
May you have more happy and humorous birding moments in April!
What birds are you seeing and hearing in your yard and neighborhood?
Send your notes and photos to backyardbirds@scvas.org. We’ll feature them in our next edition of All Around Town!
Bird species reported to All Around Town
from October 2020 onwards
(bolded species are new this month)
Mallard
Bufflehead
California Quail
Mourning Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Acorn Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Say’s Phoebe
Hutton’s Vireo
California Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Bewick’s Wren
California Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Western Bluebird
Varied Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
California Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Banner Photo: Bufflehead by Becky Ewens