Bird Watching

The variety of birds seen seems to increase each year.

Striving to create a good habitat for many creatures, we abstain from using poisons, insecticides, herbicides. That means an abundance of food sources for a wide variety of birds, whether they look for insects or seeds and berries.

After rain, birds splash about in the puddles on the road; but on all days, they have the birdbaths and fountains as sources of fresh water.

To supplement the berries (hackberry trees, holly trees, brambles, wild grapes, chokecherries), we hang sacks and feeders of nyjer seed and finch mixes.

Guests who take early-morning walks can see a good number of birds in the fields and trees. But they are present all day long, wherever you look. Take your coffee to the front walk benches and listen to the birds sing. From breakfast and on through the evening, the birds put on a show around the fountain garden in back. Even sitting at the guest computer in the living room, just looking out on the river birch and north fountain, you'll see half a dozen varieties of songbirds along with the doves.

There are many more birds than we have managed to identify: being novices, we welcome guests' identifications! Thanks to Gail Cavaliere for starting the list below and Bryan Rodwell for adding to it.

Birds seen on or over the property in recent years:

Apodiformes: Hummingbirds and Swifts

• Hummingbird Family (Trochilidae)

  • Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

• Swift Family (Apodidae)

  • Chimney Swift

Charadriiformes: Shorebirds

• Plover Family

  • Killdeer

Columbiformes: Pigeons, Doves, ...

• Pigeon and Dove Family (Columbidae)

  • Mourning Dove
  • Rock Dove

Falconiformes: Raptors

• Hawk and Eagle Family (Accipitridae)

  • Bald Eagle
  • Broad-Winged Hawk
  • Turkey Vulture

Galliformes: Pheasant, Quail, ...

• New World Quail Family (Odontophoridae)

  • Northern Bobwhite

Passerines: Songbirds

• Finch Family

  • Purple Finch
  • House Finch
  • American Goldfinch

• Thrush Family

  • Eastern Bluebird
  • Swainson's Thrush
  • American Robin

• Mockingbird Family

  • Brown Thrasher
  • Gray Catbird
  • Northern Mockingbird

• Grosbeak Family

  • Northern Cardinal

• Tyrant Flycatcher Family

  • Eastern Kingbird
  • Eastern Phoebe

• Blackbird Family

  • Eastern Meadowlark
  • Common Grackle

• American Sparrow Family

  • Field Sparrow

• Old World Sparrow Family

  • House Sparrow

Piciformes: Woodpeckers, ...

• Woodpecker Family (Picidae)

  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Red-Bellied Woodpecker