Fall Yard Birding

Fall is here! Finally, the summer slumps have subsided. On one of the slow days I cleaned and disinfected all the feeders in anticipation of next season’s visitors. Healthy cute birds only please.

There were some scorching days this summer, I put up the sprinkler and it was as popular as ever. As was the hummingbird water. Even though there’s also a perfectly good birdbath in the yard.

I had more Rufous Hummingbird sightings this year, or I was home more often to see them.

At the end of August I had a new yard bird, a Greater Yellowlegs flyover that I never saw, but  heard the “tututu” call. Here’s a photo of one from my recent trip to Eugene.

In lieu of driving 2 hours to see a bird one day I was super lazy and stayed at home in the hammock. I’m not sure what I went outside for, but when I did I saw a flycatcher in the yard!

I zoomed back inside to grab the camera. Luckily the bird sat and preened for a while.

That peaked crown and that clear eye-ring, this is a Pacific-slope Flycatcher! Such a fun fall migrant. This inspired me to sit out in the yard for a bit and what a great time it was.

Dust yourself off.

Grab a snack.

And enjoy the show.

And that’s exactly what I did. As a Cooper’s Hawk flew over.

And I saw another new (or newly observed by me) yard bird, an Orange-crowned Warbler!

I watched the Chestnut-backed Chickadees check out their old nesting hole for bugs.

Did I mention they nested in the yard this year? I was so lucky to hear babies begging and to see parents bring bugs to the nest hole.

I was bummed to be out of town at the fire lookout when they fledged. So here’s a picture of a May fledgling.

Such good times in the yard. Another reason to be excited for September is fall planting. I’m working towards enhancing the yard for Portland Audubon’s Backyard Habitat Certification Program. Anything I can do to bring more birds to the yard!

Tweets and chirps,

Audrey