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How big is your GARDEN/YARD LIST? (1 Viewer)

Katy Penland

Well-known member
Seeing a post by MikeDale in another forum about a new yard tick set me to looking for a list just for yards/gardens. Didn't find one so... how big is yours?

I have 107. How about you?
 
I think we need to establish some ground rules Katy. I include birds that I see while 'IN' the yard, this means flyovers and birds in the surrounding fields. As such my yard list is 121 as off today.
 
That's fantastic, Mike! Yup, I use the same rules: If it's seen or heard from the yard, or if it's in the yard, it counts.

Hey, maybe we should also post our lists initially so we can see what everybody's getting. I have an obvious absence of, for instance, owls and water birds:

Bald eagle
Golden eagle
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Sharp-shinned hawk
Cooper's hawk
Swainson's hawk
Northern harrier
Northern goshawk
Merlin
Peregrine falcon
American kestrel
Mourning dove
White-winged dove
Common ground dove
Band-tailed pigeon
Common nighthawk
Black-chinned hummingbird
Broad-tailed hummingbird
Calliope hummingbird
Rufous hummingbird
Hairy woodpecker
Downy woodpecker
Lewis's woodpecker
Red-naped sapsucker
Williamson's sapsucker
Northern (red-shafted) flicker
Gilded flicker
Ash-throated flycatcher
Cordilleran flycatcher
Olive-sided flycatcher
Dusky-capped flycatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Cassin's vireo
Plumbeous vireo
Warbling vireo
Pinyon jay
Scrub jay
Steller's jay
Clark's nutcracker
Common raven
American crow
Cliff swallow
Northern rough-winged swallow
Violet-green swallow
Purple martin
Juniper titmouse
Mountain chickadee
Bushtit
Red-breasted nuthatch
White-breasted nuthatch
Pygmy nuthatch
Brown creeper
House wren
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Townsend's solitaire
Western bluebird
American robin
Brown thrasher
Northern mockingbird
Cedar waxwing
Black and white warbler
Black-throated gray warbler
Grace's warbler
Hermit warbler
MacGillivray's warbler
Nashville warbler
Orange-crowned warbler
Townsend's warbler
Virginia's warbler
Wilson's warbler
Yellow warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Northern parula
Hepatic tanager
Summer tanager
Western tanager
Black-headed grosbeak
Rose-breasted grosbeak
Lazuli bunting
Dickcissel
Green-tailed towhee
Spotted towhee
Brewer's sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Lark sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
White-throated sparrow
House sparrow
Dark-eyed (gray-headed, pink-sided, slate-colored, red-backed, Oregon) junco
Brown-headed cowbird
Brewer's blackbird
European starling
Red-wing blackbird
Great-tailed grackle
Bullock's oriole
Hooded oriole
Cassin's finch
House finch
Purple finch
Evening grosbeak
Red crossbill
Pine siskin
American goldfinch
Lesser goldfinch
Lawrence's goldfinch
 
Hi,

From Lancashire, England my yard total is only 14 and that is once in a blue moon not worth mentioning looking at those, just wanted to let you all know how lucky you are and and I know you do, but please pleae appreciate it more and look after it and the birds and wildlife. It is good to know there is some out there who does appreciate it.

It sounds like heaven to me, all that space, trees, trees, vines, shrubs your list is endless wish I had a bulldozer. Might get more on my list, but the neighbours would probably complain about "more" mess.

Bye

Ann
 
Last edited:
I also count birds seen or heard while I am in our yard. This includes "fly-overs". I currently have 133 on my yard list. We have lived at our present address for some 30 years, so have had a lot of time compiling this list!
 
Heres my list as of yesterday, I really, really want to get a Black and White Warbler this year, maybe todays the day! I live in a 10 acre woodland (only 2 are mine btw) surrounded by fields, there is a farm opposite with cow pasture and a wonderful slurry pit which the waders just love. I have up to 18 feeders out at any one time and 4 watering holes.

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Ring-necked Pheasant
American Golden-Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Dunlin
Stilt Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Short-eared Owl
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
 
A CHAPLIN said:
Hi,

From Lancashire, England my yard total is only 14 and that is once in a blue moon not worth mentioning looking at those
Yep...

You 'n' me both Ann...

I just beat you with a phenomenal total of 19, although I don't include flyovers (and would probably only add another 4 or 5 anyway).

On a good day... 7 or 8?

As many of you will know though, I live adjacent to my local patch (the list for which stands at something like 70-odd - including all of the above) but the nearest decent trees are a couple of hundred metres or so away, and that seems to discourage any "strictly" woodland birds from visiting - although I had a Whitethroat once.

Of course... the Goldfinches are great!
 
I only moved to Coventry on Nov 27th last year. The person that lived here before us had died but he had been in ill health for a while before that. The garden was in a real mess but I have worked hard on it and made some wildlife friendly areas, plus 3 feeding stations. I still have loads to do but my list so far, which is nothing like you guys across the pond, stands at 33, 20 of which have actually been in the garden.

Most notable birds that have actually visited the garden are:

Fem Bullfinch - once only but they, and the males, appear regulary on bushes at the side of the garden.

Goldcrest, again we have only seen this one once .
Coal Tit, frequently
L T Tit, every day
Mistle Thrush, occasionally
Song Thrush, occasionally
G S Woodpecker, twice but seen most days in the trees by us.

Also I hear Green Woodpecker regularly but as yet haven't seen him
 
When I first started keeping a yard list, I didn't include flyovers, but since then, except for 4 of the raptors and the Common Nighthawk, all the others eventually perched on the property even if they didn't come in to feed. I don't count "heard" birds unless I can also see them or unless I'm absolutely sure of the ID. Ideally, I try to get a photograph of each species, too, but I haven't been as religious about doing that as I should. I also didn't start keeping a list just to have a list (because I don't keep a life list, either -- I'm a terribly lazy birder ;)) but to keep track of what species were here when, and to be able to keep track of vagrants or irruptions for reporting purposes. That's been the most fun of all!

I didn't mention that I have 3 seed feeders, 3 nectar feeders, a suet cake (not during summer) and put peanut butter on the bark of one tree, but haven't planted anything at all in the yard. If I can find some hummer-friendly flowering plants in the area to buy, I'll get some of those in the ground this year, otherwise our yard and 2-acre property are natural mixed conifer forest with pine needles or bare dirt as the floor. I've lived here about 3 1/2 years. I think the biggest draw year-round is the small (3' x 5') pond I built. Without that, I know my list would probably be halved.
 
slight cheat as I work in a 7 acre garden ;)

my own garden is good but I only keep a list in the one I spend most time in, currently 99 after 13 yrs so waiting for something spectacular to make it 100 o:)

Little grebe
Cormorant
Grey heron
Mute swan
Canada Goose
Greylag Goose
Mallard
Tufted duck
Teal
Gadwall
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
Hobby
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Red legged partridge
Moorhen
Coot
Water Rail
Lapwing
Common sandpiper
Green sandpiper
Snipe
Woodcock
Wood pigeon
Common tern
Collared dove
Turtle dove
Stock Dove
Cuckoo
Barn owl
Tawny owl
Little owl
Kingfisher
Green woodpecker
Great sp. Woodpecker
Lesser sp. Woodpecker
Skylark
Swift
Swallow
House martin
Sand martin
Meadow pipit
Pied wagtail
Yellow wagtail
Grey wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Song thrush
Mistle thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Reed warbler
Lesser whitethroat
Whitethroat
Willow warbler
Blackcap
Garden warbler
Chiffchaff
Grasshopper warbler
Goldcrest
Firecrest
Spotted flycatcher
Pied flycatcher
Long tailed tit
Blue tit
Great tit
Coal tit
Willow tit
Marsh tit
Nuthatch
Treecreeper
Crow
Rook
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Starling
House sparrow
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Siskin
Redpoll
Hawfinch
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Linnet
Corn Bunting
Reed bunting
Yellowhammer
L B B Gull
Herring gull
Black Headed Gull

Flyovers

Golden Plover
Common Tern
Osprey
Ring-necked Parakeet
 
As I have a tiny feeding area,I guess my list would be the smallest of any.
Starling
Jackdaw
Rook
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Collared Dove
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Robin
Bluetit(very rarely)
Assortment of Gulls
Overhead,Swallows galore,when they arrive.
But to compensate,a RSPB reserve 1/2 mile away,a whole beach of birds 100 yds away,a river 25 yds away,and sandhills with lots of nesting birds.Our nearest mountain,which has lots of fir woods on its slopes is 3mls away,and we have lots of birds of prey,who circle the dunes and the reserve looking for food.
 
When I lived in Lincolnshire in a little village I only had a small back yard but still had quite a few nice species on my list. I was cutting back a low growing yew bush in the front yard and just underneath was a dead Nuthatch! I would have been overjoyed to have seen a Nuthatch in my yard. Instead I was extremely sad, sad for the lovely bird and sad that I'm missed it.
 
Blimey! Why are all the American lists so much better than the UK ones? Does the US have that many more species than us? I've just compiled the list for my garden in Birmingham, & it is 26 species over 10 years (although I'm going to cheat my way to 27 - there are Goldfinches a few gardens away, so I've planted Teasels, and I'm now filling one of my feeders with Thistle seed - that'll get the little buggers to come).

Why is the US so much better? The (human) population density in the States is lower, so I guess that leaves more room for wildlife, hence perhaps more species, but at the same time, presumably the birds would not need to come into gardens so much, as there should be more food available out in the bigger 'wild' spaces.

Why are you better than us? I demand a explanation.

Regards,
Annoyed of England

Any way, here's my list, excl. flyovers
Blue tit
Great tit
Coal tit
Long tailed tit
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Bullfinch
Garden Warbler
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Wren
Nuthatch
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Dunnock
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Robin
Collared Dove
Wood Pigeon
Stock Dove
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Sparrowhawk
Magpie
Jay

To include flyovers, add
Grey Heron
Lesser Black Backed Gull
Greater Black Backed Gull
Black Headed Gull
Mallard
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Buzzard

...and another thing: how can I have 26 species but no starlings?
 
Let's redress the balance then. Our garden list stands at 136 in just under 2 and a half years. Highlights include avocet, little egret, smew, med. gull, jack snipe, water pipit, red+black-throated divers, long-tailed duck, little tern, tree sparrow, slav grebe, little gull, arctic tern, osprey, merlin ...
See http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=15443 for more details.

I expect Jane Turner will be along shortly with her even bigger total ...

Rob
 
Thanks, Rob, but that doesn't help.

Now I resent America and Scotland.
(Yes Richard W, and English gardens which cover 7 acres - what the hell is that, the whole of Hertfordshire?)

Even more annoyed of England.
 
Here is my list for this yard. Not bad for only being here one year.

1. Blue Jay
2. Evening Grosbeak
3. Pine Grosbeak
4. Common Redpoll
5. Black Capped Chickadee
6. Hairy Woodpecker
7. Downy Woodpecker
8. Raven
9. Purple Finch
10. American Tree Sparrow
11. Fox Sparrow
12. Common Grackle
13. Starling
14. Red Winged Blackbird
15. Rusty Blackbird
16. Junco
17. Gray Jay
18. Canada Goose
19. Sandhill Crane
20. Great Blue Heron
21. Hoary Redpoll
22. Kestrel
23. Tree Swallow
24. American Robin
25. Pine Siskin
26. Crow
27. American Goldfinch
28. Brown Headed Cowbird
29. Mourning Dove
30. Herring Gull
31. Cedar Waxwing
32. Red Breasted Nuthatch

33 Rose Breasted Grosbeak
34. Snow Bunting
35. White Crowned Sparrow
36. White Throated Sparrow
37. Chipping Sparrow
38. Song Sparrow
39. Sharp Shinned Hawk
40. Hermit Thrush
41. Ruby Throated Hummingbird
42. Common Nighthawk
43. American Pipit
44. Palm Warbler
45. Yellow Rumped Warbler
46. Eastern Bluebird
47. Harris’s Sparrow
48. Savannah Sparrow
49. Common Loon
 
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