The bird on the left is a blue jay; the other is a bluebird. Bring both species to your backyards with three things: food, water, and cover.
MARBLE FALLS — Sitting in my backyard and watching birds flitting about is quite interesting. They bounce from one feeder to the next, often pushing other birds out of the way to grab a few seeds.
Then, with a slight rustle of my paper or move in my chair, the birds erupt and head for cover, only to return a few minutes later, content that I wasn’t threatening them and consumed with, well, consuming bird feed.
With the exception of the blue jays, cardinals, an occasional robin, and doves, I’m pretty much at a loss when it comes to identifying many of the birds that frequent my back yard, but I’d like to learn.
Margy Butler, an avid bird-watcher (she describes herself as a ‘bird-watcher’ rather than ‘birder’ — we’ll get to that later) regularly leads bird-watching tours and programs as a member of the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society. She agrees that some of the best fun can be had by just watching the birds.
“I’ll go out in the morning and put feed in the feeders, then I can just sit and watch them for hours,” she said with a chuckle. “It’s so much fun to just watch them.”
Identifying the myriad of birds in the Highland Lakes can be a struggle, which becomes even tougher during the colder months when the “winter Texans” fly in to escape harsher conditions up north. The most well-know visitor is probably the American bald eagle, which finds refuge in the northern portions of Lake Buchanan and the upper Colorado River, but winter also brings an influx of smaller birds such as sparrows.
But don’t fret, Butler said. You can easily learn to identify the birds in your backyard by participating in a birding club, getting a good field guide, or even watching birding videos on YouTube.
Butler admitted she doesn’t have all the answers, even when she’s organizing a group field trip.
“But, shoot, I still feel like a beginner at times, and I’ve been bird-watching for years,” she said. “I can’t totally identify every bird, and some I’ve seen two or three times. Don’t let that keep you from enjoying them.”
As for being a “bird watcher” instead of a “birder,” Butler explained she loves just watching birds interact and how they behave. It’s not about building up a lifetime list of species she’s seen or participating in birding competitions or counts.
That’s not a knock on birding, which is a more active endeavor. It is an exciting adventure as one travels across the country and even around the world, adding to their list of birds spotted.
However, “you can have a great time just watching them in your backyard,” Butler said.
CALLING THE BIRDS TO YOU
What if your backyard is void of the chittering and chattering of birds?
Sue Kersey, also a member of the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society as well as a Master Naturalist, said most people can rectify that situation with three things: food, water, and cover.
“If you put out a bird feeder, the birds will come,” Kersey said.
She recommends adding a bird bath or other water source as well as cover. A water source can be something as simple as a plate, which I have in my yard, hanging from a tree branch or as substantial as a large, concrete bath.
I place a few pebbles in the water so birds can gauge the depth and have a place to perch along the rim.
Cover simply refers to places birds can scoot off to if they sense danger or where they can sit and watch the feeders for an opening.
I’ve taken advantage of a neighbor’s live oak that hangs into my backyard as well as some other trees and bushes. In my front yard are two smaller live oaks and a couple of Bradford pear trees that offer cover.
Consistency is another thing when it comes to feeding birds. We were attracting quite a lot of birds for several months then the boys and I lapsed on our feeder-filling duties. And with that, the birds basically disappeared.
Now, with regular feedings, they have returned.
Bird feeders come in a number of styles and types. There are tube feeders, flat feeders, and what I call “house” style feeders. Each has its pluses. Kersey pointed out that you have a better chancer of drawing different species by using an array of feeders.
“A flat tray, you’ll get a ton of cardinals and blue jays,” she said.
And who doesn’t like a dash of color racing around their yard?
Feeding the birds in your yard also benefits the scientific community. Kersey participates in Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s annual Feeder Watch program.
It’s quite simple, she explained. You set up a feeder and count and log the types of birds that visit it.
There are a few guidelines, which you can learn at feederwatch.org. If you sign up online, Cornell will send you a chart with birds you are likely to find in your area.
If you want to learn more about the birds in your backyard, join a birding or bird-watching group such as the Highland Lakes Birding and Wildflower Society. It meets at 9:30 a.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Marble Falls Public Library, 101 Main St.
Or, find a good field guide.
Butler said not to get frustrated because you can’t tell a titmouse from a sparrow or a red-tailed hawk from a red-shouldered hawk.
“Just enjoy the birds,” she said. “Who cares if you can’t identify every one. That doesn’t change the fact that they are so much fun to just sit and watch.”
daniel@thepicayune.com
