Birds of Surrey Park (Backyard birds Part 2)

As I indicated in Part 1, in my Surrey Park backyard alone, I have identified at least 39 unique bird species! I'm also aware of a few birds sighted elsewhere in Surrey Park which I haven't yet had the privilege to see in my own yard. There are certain reasons for these sightings happening or not happening back here, and I plan on reviewing these conditions as well.

When I started to observe our backyard birds in earnest, I never thought I would see this many birds. I thought the I would be able to count the number of unique birds on just my two hands. Over time, however, I have learned that the wonderful diversity of trees and a cultivated native habitat -- plus employing various kinds of bird feeders and feed -- can be huge in attracting far more birds than you might think imaginable!

My most unique backyard sighting? That is a tough question. I have seen several uncommon birds in my backyard over the years -- some I will discuss in future posts -- but I think I have to say the most unique was the Great Egret that appeared around 8:00am one mid-September morning in 2024. I was just wrapping up a Zoom class when I happened to look at the window to see this beauty visiting our backyard! Overwhelmed with excitement, I pretty much hung up on my instructor in order to rush and capture its visit. Remarkably, the thing took off right over the roof of my screened porch, probably after concluding there were no fish in the "lake" (our swimming pool) that it was checking out. It really was one of the most remarkable, exciting bird shots I've captured.

There is a special kind of joy and exhilaration in seeing so many different kinds of birds right outside your window. Birders often have a hard time explaining this thrill to others who haven't yet felt it. Birds are truly wild creatures. That they can fly away in a split second makes them elusive and fascinating. But for them to grace your backyard with their presence can feel almost magical, as if they are entrusting you -- however briefly -- with their well-being. I feel as though their visitation is an expression of our mutual appreciation of one another. With each passing year, I try to observe more about them, learn more about what attracts them and when, their behaviors and patterns. Birds are never boring. They are a daily gift and, for many people, a gateway to a greater connection to nature and the Blue Planet upon which we all live and depend.

As I type this, a hawk flew low across my backyard, moving so quickly, I could not identify it!

We have hawks a-plenty here. That is what is remarkable about Surrey Park: We are most definitely suburbia, but at any given moment, you may get buzzed by a hawk or find a fox in your driveway! Personally, I just love feeling like we live somewhere that offers so much wildlife, despite not being "all the way out" in the wild. The hawk in the photo here was taken back in 2017 by one of our neighbors around the corner. I don't know if it's a Red-tailed Hawk or a Broad-winged Hawk or maybe even a Cooper's Hawk. To this day, I'm still not very good at identifying hawks unless I can see a very distinctive feature for more than a split second. Young hawks, called juveniles, can look quite different than the adult hawks. Juveniles may not reach full adulthood until three years of age, so that can certainly make things confusing for a hawk-gawker newbie!

So what birds have I seen in my backyard?

I have a feeling I will be referring back to this list in future posts, so I want to be methodical about creating it. I'm going to break down this list into categories:

Common Year-Long Birds

These are birds I might see all year long.

• House Sparrows (I talked about them a bit in my last post)

• Northern Cardinals

• Carolina Chickadees

• Mourning Doves

• Brown-headed Cowbirds

• Tufted Titmouses

• Blue Jays

• House Finches

• American Goldfinches

• Song Sparrows

• Red-bellied Woodpeckers

• Downy Woodpeckers

• Hairy Woodpeckers

• Northern Flickers

• White-breasted Nuthatch

• American Crows

• Common Grackles

• American Robins

• European Starlings

• Red-tailed Hawks

• Cooper's Hawks

• Black Vultures

• Turkey Vultures

Seasonal Backyard Birds

These birds migrate or arrive/leave this immediate area during certain times of the year but are fairly common to see while they're here.

• Dark-eyed Juncos (wintertime)

• Gray Catbirds (summertime)

• Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (summertime)

• Red-winged Blackbirds

• House Wrens

• Chipping Sparrows

• White-throated Sparrows

• Black-capped Chickadees

Unusual/Rare Backyard Bird Sightings

You already know about the Great Egret, but here are a comprehensive list of birds that have graced us with their presence once or twice over the years.

• Great Egret

• Great Horned Owls

• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

• Brown Thrashers

• Great Crested Flycatchers

• Pileated Woodpeckers (these are ever-present in Surrey Park, but I've only seen them a few times in my own backyard; check out the cool video below of one enjoying the bounties of my snag)

• Ruby-crowned Kinglets

• Golden-crowned Kinglets

• Black-throated Green Warblers

Finally! Heard but seldom seen, this large (male?) Pileated Woodpecker paid a nice, long visit to our Shagbark Hickory snag! Watch how fast he moves! I had to lay on the floor to film him so as not to spook him.

This is a pretty great list, right?! Sometimes I find it hard to believe myself! I feel eternally grateful to even see all these birds and that they feel welcome in my backyard. I have and deliberately continue to build a bird-friendly haven back here. In future posts, I plan to share what I've done in case you want to create a bird sanctuary, too!