BACKYARD BIRD OBSERVATIONS
FROM OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
September was a delightful month for birders, a time of change that marked the transition to fall. Migrating birds passed through our area on their way to winter grounds further south. Other migrating birds arrived and stayed - these are our winter resident birds, those that nest elsewhere but spend the non-breeding season in Santa Clara County.
For backyard birders, the arrival of White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows in our neighborhoods heralds the start of the cooler season, and some of you reported seeing the birds, in increasingly large numbers, at the end of the month. One contributor also spotted their first-of-the-season Say’s Phoebe. These birds can be found in certain parts of the county year-round, but you are more likely to find them in residential areas in the winter.
In September, a number of you were happy to report birds that were new to your yard, like Acorn Woodpeckers (San Jose), a Downy Woodpecker (Saratoga), a Cooper’s Hawk (San Jose), and a flyover Killdeer and Double-crested Cormorant (San Jose).
This month, we added two new species to our collective bird list, bringing the total to 112 species. A migrating Canada Warbler, a rare visitor to our area, spent a couple of days in a Campbell backyard, and a Double-crested Cormorant, mentioned above, was spotted in flight.
Here are your observations for the month of September and early October:
Lisa Myers (Campbell) wrote to tell us about a special sighting in her yard: “This was the morning after our only September storm and the birds were very chatty in our backyard. I was working from home and making phone calls on our back deck when I saw a bouncy yellow bird flitting low along our garden path. It was snatching bugs off the underside of the garden plants. This was different behavior from any other yellow bird we've seen in the yard.”
A Canada Warbler eyes an insect in Lisa’s backyard (photo by Teresa Cheng).
“I grabbed my binoculars and easily observed it and checked off all its field marks to quickly make its ID as a female Canada Warbler. Because she was so active she was easy to spot in the landscape. She was often observed feeding alongside a Wilson's Warbler. She was still here the next morning when several photographers came over. She again appeared but this time in the company of a Pacific-slope Flycatcher.”
Another view of the Canada Warbler that visited Lisa’s yard (photo by Garrett Lau).
Lisa says: “She was a very active bird eating continuously, but with patience the photographers got their photos. By that afternoon she had continued on her migration south. Our yard is all about habitat for the birds and we get some great yard birds, but this was a special little bird. I am sure glad I worked from home that day!”
Steven Rice (Palo Alto) had lamented a quiet summer at his feeder, but in late September, something changed. Steven sent us these “news clips”:
“Palo Alto Feeder Gets Five Star Reviews!!!”
“Suddenly I'm popular! The birds see other birds eating, then they have to try the new restaurant, too.”
A Bewick’s Wren at Steven’s feeder. Steven says: “I'm extra happy to have the Bewick’s Wren photo, I see them around but they are elusive.”
And a week later, he wrote:
“Fickle Flyers Flee Former Favorite, Find Fresh Foodie Fad. Forlorn Fotographer Feeds Faithful Few.”
“My fame lasted only days. All the cool birds have moved on - probably to some trendy joint with seed tapas or seed smoothies because all I've got is old-fashioned seed cakes.”
“but wait…”
“Extra! Extra! Famished Finches Feast Furiously”
“September 29 and 30 saw large numbers of Lesser Goldfinches in the Chinese elms next door, eating the small seeds.”
A Lesser Goldfinch, possibly molting, enjoys the seeds of the elm trees near Steven’s home.
Throughout September, Steven observed Anna’s Hummingbirds, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Oak Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Bewick’s Wrens, House Finches, Lesser Goldfinches, and Dark-eyed Juncos at his feeder and in his yard.
This White-breasted Nuthatch visited Steven’s feeder.
Jack Cole (San Jose) reports: “One to four Western Bluebirds continue daily at my bird bath. I’ve never had a year like this before.” It seems likely that these birds arrived after their breeding season ended.
A young Cooper’s Hawk visited Drena’s yard. Immature Cooper’s are brown and white with yellow eyes, in contrast to the adults, which are gray with heavy red barring on a white breast and have red eyes.
Drena Large (San Jose) reports seeing a Cooper’s Hawk on her back deck in late September. She says: “We haven’t seen them for a couple of years and never so up close!”
A Red-shouldered Hawk having a meal, observed by Linden.
Linden Skjeie (San Jose) sent us this photo of a Red-shouldered Hawk in an oak tree, “eating its breakfast,” in mid-September.
Jennifer spotted her first-of-the-season Say’s Phoebe in a neighborhood park.
Jennifer Oliver (San Jose) says: “The last couple weeks I have spent more time in my backyard and the neighborhood park - especially since it’s cooled down! I’ve now seen White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows in the neighborhood park, along with Say’s Phoebes. Still waiting for the Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hermit Thrushes, and Golden Eagles in the coming months.”
She continues: “During the hot spell in September we had a nice surprise. Our first Acorn Woodpeckers in the backyard that I’ve ever seen since we moved here! There are lots of them that live in the oak trees down in the creek at the end of the neighborhood, but I’ve never seen one in my yard.”
An Acorn Woodpecker on Jennifer’s tree, panting in the heat.
“One day I saw a couple of them fly in, so I carefully stepped outside to quietly observe. I saw them up in the tree, panting (which now I know is a thing), and eventually finding the bird bath. Ever since then they’ve been coming daily for a drink. I usually hear them first and then shortly after that they are on the fence ‘dancing’ by moving up and down, before they fly down to the water.”
An Acorn Woodpecker drinking at Jennifer’s bird bath.
“I also find it interesting that all the other woodpeckers, nuthatches and birds perch on the top of the bath edge, but the Acorn Woodpecker hangs on the side and reaches his head over the edge. But as long as they aren’t pecking on my house, I’m thrilled to have them visit! And steal all the acorns they want from my oak tree!”
Kristin spotted this small California Scrub-Jay on her balcony.
Kristin Lynn (San Jose) writes: "September saw the return of Lesser Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, and California Scrub-Jays to the balcony (Anna's Hummingbirds and House Finches are the steady regulars). One of the scrub-jays was smaller than those I've seen in the past, and I wondered if it might be a young bird. I was also excited to see a Great Blue Heron in the neighborhood for the first time since May.”
An Anna’s Hummingbird visits Kristin’s salvia plant.
"My salvia plant continued to be popular with the hummingbirds, and the Lesser Goldfinches seem to like it, too. All in all, September was pretty lively around here!"
Emma Shelton (Menlo Park) says: “As I write this the Spotted Towhees are making their baaa-RACK noise outside the window on the fence, and White-breasted Nuthatches are in front squirking in the tree. October 1 was the SFBBO Bird Photo Big Day, so I tried taking photos too.”
Lesser Goldfinches at Emma’s feeder
“September was busy, but not as hectic bird-wise as other times. We still have lots of Oak Titmice, Lesser Goldfinches, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, House Finches, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches, and Mourning Doves and often it’s pretty noisy outside. It depends on if we’re here sitting outside or watching through the windows. Some times of day get crazy.”
Emma had her first-of-season White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows on September 25. She says: “Getting sightings and sounds. They’re in the backyard every day now, and I’m sure they’re in the front too.”
A female Nuttall’s Woodpecker and a House Finch at Emma’s feeder. Compare the female Nuttall’s to the male in the picture below.
A male Nuttall’s Woodpecker, with red feathers on part of the crown and nape, at Emma’s feeder
Here is Emma’s neighborhood list for September and early October:
Canada Goose - flyover
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Anna’s Hummingbird
Gull species
Turkey Vulture - I hadn’t seen them around our neighborhood until a few months ago, and they are very infrequent. One obligingly just flew over the back patio!
Hawks - A couple of Cooper’s Hawk sightings this month! In a tree next door and a flyover.
Barn Owl - The night of October 1, when I went out the front door, I heard that unmistakable call!
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
California Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Oak Titmouse
Bushtit - Had a couple of invasions in the middle of September. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were here all the time but you have to be present for the party.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Bewick’s Wren - Seeing and hearing a few every day. They debug our fences and trellis structures nicely. Debugging is a good thing.
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
California Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Yellow-rumped Warbler - I didn’t see one, but if I hear bird activity I set up my Merlin sound ID app, and it said it heard one in late September.
Eve Meier had two new yard birds this month. On September 17, she told us: “A Killdeer flew over my house at 5 a.m., calling ‘killdeer, killdeer, killdeer.’”
In late September, she wrote: “This morning while drinking my coffee, I could hear a Western Tanager calling from my backyard. I stepped outside to find the tanager and saw a Double-crested Cormorant fly over the house. I think this is a new yard bird for me. I never did see the tanager.”
A female Downy Woodpecker visits Curt’s suet feeder. The Downy is the smallest North American woodpecker - compare it in size to the House Finch on the other side of the suet.
Curt Bianchi (Saratoga) writes: “We’ve had our suet feeders up for a couple of years now. At this point we have a good idea of what birds show up throughout the year, so it’s rare that we get a new visitor. But this month we got this Downy Woodpecker for the very first time. All along we have gotten a steady group of Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, so the Downy is a welcome addition to our yard.”
A California Thrasher perches on LC’s bird bath.
LC Boros (San Jose) says about her yard in early and mid-September: “The gardens were only full of finches, doves, and quail, plus our resident California Towhees and California Thrashers.”
A Steller’s Jay at LC’s bath. The Steller’s has a black crest and blue and black feathers. The California Scrub-Jay, on the other hand, lacks a crest and has buff-colored and white feathers in addition to blue, gray, and black ones.
She continues: “It seems that for the first time in five years, a truce has occurred, as this season’s California Scrub-Jays and Steller’s Jays are sharing our offerings. Because the jays eat so much, I set out a new suet feeder and now we have a small flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. We have often heard them up near the well, but until now they rarely came close to the main house. They’re in the gardens all the time and are slowly fitting in with the rest of the flocks.”
A Western Bluebird, feathers fluffed, bathes at LC’s bird bath.
“We also have an off-duty Western Bluebird pair lurking about. They come in each evening for some water and a quick bath. The newly fledged Northern Mockingbirds also enjoy some of the baths although they’re not sure of the pecking order and until recently they were deferring to the House Finches.”
A Northern Mockingbird at LC’s bath
“Finally, it wasn’t until last week that the sparrows [like the White-crowned Sparrow] came back from the northern latitudes. Now we’re awash in them.”
LC adds: “Another month and the rains will be here, but lots to do bird-wise before then as we have a Northern Flicker hanging out by the old stables, so this month I’ll head out in the excavator to drill some holes to get some larger nest and bat boxes up before spring. Perhaps I’ll entice him/her to make use of it, but if not, a kestrel might deign to use it instead.”
Happy backyard birding in October, everyone!
What birds are you seeing and hearing in your yard and neighborhood?
Send your stories, lists, photos, sketches, and videos 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
(species in bold are new this month)
Greater White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Mallard
Bufflehead
California Quail
Wild Turkey
Indian Peafowl (feral)
Rock Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Vaux’s Swift
White-throated Swift
Anna’s Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Allen’s Hummingbird
Killdeer
California Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
White-tailed Kite
Golden Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Barn Owl
Western Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Acorn Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Nuttall’s Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Wood-Pewee
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Say’s Phoebe
Western Kingbird
Hutton’s Vireo
Cassin’s Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Steller’s Jay
California Scrub-Jay
Yellow-billed Magpie
American Crow
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Oak Titmouse
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Bushtit
Wrentit
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Pygmy Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Bewick’s Wren
European Starling
California Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Western Bluebird
Varied Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Scaly-breasted Munia
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin
Lesser Goldfinch
Lawrence’s Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
California Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Western Meadowlark
Hooded Oriole
Bullock’s Oriole
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
Lazuli Bunting
Hybrid ducks, domestic ducks, unidentified gull species, and Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbirds have also been reported to All Around Town.
All Around Town is compiled by SCVAS Member Julie Amato.
Banner Photo: Acorn Woodpecker by Jennifer Oliver