My yard list is up to 17 species! They are, in chronological order:
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Wren
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Flicker
American Robin
House Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
Tufted Titmouse
Black-throated Green Warbler
Downy Woodpecker
Chimney Swift
Mourning Dove
Turkey Vulture
Eastern Bluebird
House Finch
While walking my dogs along the miles of trails around my house and in the streets of my neighborhood, I’ve also seen or heard:
Eastern Screech-owl
Cedar Waxwing
White-eyed Vireo
Swainson’s Thrush
I’m planning on staying in Marietta this weekend (for a change), and hope to do some yard work to help make the property more bird-friendly. Just being out there during daylight hours should lengthen this list. Let’s hope the weather cooperates!
About the AuthorDawn Hewitt is the managing editor for Bird Watcher's Digest and Watching Backyard Birds. She has been watching birds since 1978, and wrote a weekly birding column for The Herald Times, a daily newspaper in Bloomington, Indiana, for 11 years.
Nice article, and inspiring, too! I now think that I will try making up such a backyard list.
What did I like about the article? I think that many of the author’s birds ALSO came to MY feeders, too. I’ve never considered myself any sort of birder; I just enjoy seeing (and counting for Cornell Lab’s Project FeederWatch) the little flappers. I am honored that they come to my back yard! I may never see so many species as the author here; still, she inspired me, and I thank her.
Thank you for your kind words! Keeping a yard list makes me more attuned to the birds that share my property. Since I wrote this, I bought a house and moved! I’ve tried to improve the landscaping to be more welcoming to birds, and my yard list is now in the 40s, I think. –Dawn