In an attempt to attract more birds to my yard, I put this feeder up on April 30, 2020.

MBY (MY BACKYARD BIRDS) GALLERY

During the great Corona Virus plague of 2020, I decided to take the plunge and become a deliberate bird watcher.  Dorothy and I self quarantined for an extended period (two months at the time of this writing), and I was looking for things and activities to occupy my time.  In early March, our trip to Rockport (See my blog post entitled “Celebrating 46 Years: Beachcombing and Bird Watching in the Coastal Bend of Texas” under the Blog section of this website by clicking here) rekindled my interest in bird watching.  I joined a couple of Facebook groups and found encouragement and inspiration there.  I soon noticed the short-hand lingo of “MBY”, or “My Backyard” when people posted pictures of birds they had observed in their yards.  I also noticed that many of these pictures were the result of feeders or water features being present on the poster’s yard.  So, one day I stopped by Wild Birds Unlimited and bought a bird feeder set-up, designed to withstand assaults by the small bands of squirrels, possums, and raccoons that roam about my place.  I spent about a week trying to decide where to place the feeder.  I finally picked a spot, and put the feeder up on April 30, 2020.  The very next day, I observed my first visitor to the feeder.

My first visitor to the new feeder was a Carolina Chickadee.

I have been disappointed in the number and variety of birds that I have observed visiting my feeder.  So, after a couple of days, I went by Birds Unlimited again and purchased two more arms.  From one are I hung a peanut feeder, hoping to attract Blue Jays and other larger birds.  From the other arm, I hung a suet feeder.  In short order, I noticed a new visitor…

The first Northern Cardinal to show up at the feeder. You can see the peanut feeder and the top of the suet feeder in this pic.

I have also started thinking about a simple water feature.  From what I have read, and seen (at Warbler Woods, and Sabine Woods) they are very effective at attracting birds.  I will keep you posted on my progress in that regard.  UPDATE:  I ended up ordering a drip kit and a small plastic bird bath from Duncraft.  It took them a while to ship these items to me, and in the meantime I went to a materials yard and picked out some small slabs of limestone.  Once my bath and drip arrived, I ran the water line and decided to place the water feature in the corner of my backyard near the feeder, but next to the fence.  I drilled a small hole in the plastic birdbath so that water drips down onto one of the limestone slabs, then collects in a slight depression in the lowest slab.  It took about a week before I saw a bird actually using it, but I am hopeful that as time goes on it will get more use.  I will have a separate gallery of photos of birds at the water feature.  Click here to see the water feature gallery.

A male Northern Cardinal was the first bird I saw using the little water feature I put in, May 27, 2020.

So, the purpose of this page is to share photos of birds from “My Backyard”.  I am including birds that I have seen (and photographed) from my backyard, not just in it.  Those of you that have visited my place know that our yard and the next door neighbor’s (Rich and MaryAnne Johnson) yard is open, and looks like one yard.   The Johnson’s roadside yard (ie out front), has a line of beautiful old pecan trees that are, I believe, very good habitat.  In fact, as you will see below, I saw a wood-pecker in one of those pecan trees yesterday, as well as a hawk perched on their wood fence.  I have decided to post these pictures by year, so I will start with a gallery 2020.  I hope you enjoy!

MBY BIRDS, 2020

House Sparrow, at my next door neighbor's Purple Martin House. Saturday, May 2, 2020.
Red-shouldered Hawk, sitting on the rail of the back deck of my boathouse. Sunday afternoon, May 3, 2020.
This extremely shy Great Blue Heron and I have been playing cat and mouse for years. This afternoon, I saw him on my seawall, fishing. As I tried to get close, he flew to the other side of the lake, so I used my zoom to take this photo. Monday afternoon, May 4, 2020.
I spotted this Golden-fronted Woodpecker in the Pecans out front. Got a better picture...same bird I saw a couple of days before. Monday, May 4, 2020.
This male/female pair of Wood Ducks was hanging around my dock this morning. I saw the female by herself the other day. Tuesday morning, May 5, 2020.
This Eastern Phoebe entertained me for a while as I sat under the Airport this morning. Tuesday, March 5, 2020.
These two Egyptian Goose are often seen around my neck of the woods. Tuesday morning, May 5, 2020.
I spotted this Black-chinned Hummingbird (female/immature male) on May 11, 2020
This House Finch was at my feeder on May 12, 2020.
After my initial sighting of the male House Finch on May 12, 2020, I soon began seeing him regularly. On June 1, 2020, I noticed he brought his girl friend along, this female House Finch.
This Black-crested Titmouse has been a regular at the feeder since I first spotted him on May 12, 2020. On May 14, he was joined by another!
This juvenile Black-bellied Whistling Duck paid us a visit on May 13, 2020.
A Blue Jay in the tree above my feeder, which has finally started attracting them (they like the peanuts!), May 27, 2020.
Late on the evening of June 2, 2020, I spotted this Yellow-crowned Night-Heron from my back porch. The light was not good, but good enough to id this bird!
This Barred Owl paid MBY a visit early on the morning of June 12, 2020. I caught up with him high atop a tree across the street!
Was delighted when this female Summer Tanager paid MBY a visit on the afternoon of June 16, 2020.
This White-winged Dove stopped by for a visit late in the afternoon of June 19, 2020.
Early on the morning of Wednesday, July 1, 2020, this Barred Owl visited my front yard. Here he is near the font gate.
Another shot of the Barred Owl who visited my front yard on July 1, 2020. Here he is in one of the Pecan Trees out front.
Great Crested Flycatcher that I spotted high in a tree in MBY on the early evening of July 9, 2020.
Surprised and delighted to see this Black-and-white Warbler on the pecan tree in the back yard on the morning of July 23, 2020.
On July 25, 2020, I spotted this Eastern Bluebird in one of the Pecan trees out front. Not a great picture, but sufficient to make an id.
Late on the afternoon of Monday, August 3, 2020, several Great-tailed Grackles visited my backyard feeder.
Saw my first Baltimore Oriole as he visited MBY on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 22, 2020.
One of two juvenile Spotted Sandpipers that showed up at my waterfront on the morning of September 29, 2020.
Northern Mockingbird checked out MBY on October 1, 2020, late afternoon.
Great Egret on Lake McQueeney, as seen from MBY on the morning of October 6, 2020.
On December 28, 2020, MBY water feature attracted Yellow-rumped Warblers, an American Goldfinch, and several Pine Siskins.

MBY BIRDS, 2021

On January 22, 2021, this Hermit Thrush stopped by for a quick bath and posed for me on the fence rail.
On the morning of February 5, 2021, I saw this solitary American Robin in the front yard....beautiful bird!
A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker visited my yard during the great blizzard of 2021! February 15, 2021.
Several Eastern Meadowlarks visited my back yard to enjoy the extra food I put out during the great blizzard of 2021. February 16, 2021.
Indigo Bunting that visited my back yard on the morning of April 16, 2021.

MBY BIRDS, 2022

Well, 2022 has started off very slow when it comes to adding new birds to my Life List or this Backyard List.  I took a trip to Utah during the height of spring migration this year, but was able to snag a Golden-cheeked Warbler and a Spotted Towhee at South Llano River State Park on my way.  I have started riding my bike (every morning, early, weather permitting), and in late May I began to see a pair of American Crows hanging around the neighborhood.  They are crafty characters, and quite shy, but on the afternoon of June 6, 2022 one of them ventured into my backyard and let its guard down long enough for me to get a photo, which you will see below.  Also, the day before (June 5, 2022), while riding my bike on Wosnig Road, I spotted and watched a Great Horned Owl– it wasn’t in MBY, but I am going to show it to you anyway!

GREAT HORNED OWL THAT I WATCHED ON SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 2022.
THE AMERICAN CROW THAT MADE AN APPEARANCE IN MBY ON MONDAY, JUNE 6, 2022.
ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 13, 2022 I SPOTTED A GREEN HERON, WHO PAID A VERY BRIEF VISIT TO MY DOCK!

MBY Birds, 2023

MID-MORNING OF JANUARY 16, 2023 I WATCHED THIS MALE BELTED KINGFISHER AS HE FISHED FROM THE UPPER DECK OF THE BOATHOUSE...DIVING TO THE WATER. VERY ENTERTAINING!
GBRA STARTED TO DRAIN OUR LAKE ON MARCH 28, 2023. ON APRIL 1, 2023, I SAW A SMALL GROUP OF DUCKS ON THE LAKE AND, USING MY BINOCULARS AND TELEPHOTO LENS, SAW THE DISTINCTIVE BLUE BILL OF THE RUDDY DUCK, WHICH WAS A NEW BIRD FOR ME!
I PHOTOGRAPHED THIS RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 20, 2023.
HAIRY WOODPECKER AT MBY FEEDER, JULY 15, 2023.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD AT MBY WATER DRIP, JULY 15, 2023.
JUVENILE EASTERN BLUEBIRD DEFENDING MBY WATER DRIP FROM A BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD, JULY 15, 2023