Our friends have come back

[Aggie_Ama]

I actually don't know what he is, same thing as the all brown girl who has taken roost on my porch? They build a mostly mud style nest but I haven't been able to get a very good photo? My dad said it was a swallow but none of us are birders. DH has a degree in fisheries, he isn't helping much on these guys!

This is the only picture I have been able to get of the nest and the girl (you can't really see her).

[mudmucker]

I've just seen this thread. I've been birding for years and I agree with 7rider it is not a barn swallow. A barn swallow will have a more orange color on the breast/throat and darker blue above - and certainly not any plumage streaking as seen in the photo. Swallows will have a more pronounced forked tail than most birds, so look for that.

I believe you have a house finch, which are quite ubiquitous and wide ranging. I have many purple finches at my feeder and they are more raspberry color with much less brown streaking than what I see in the photo. Also I believe that Texas not within the purple finch's breeding range however they may winter there.

Regardless, enjoy the new family.

[Aggie_Ama]

I think I will email my husband's stepmom and my aunt, they are birders and local but I guess finch fits his size/build. I have never seen the males before, he is pretty! I filled up the bath yesterday since I noticed it was low and dirty. I guess they are using it but I haven't seen any birds in it yet. He is probably common but he is our buddy so I like him. My husband's grandma has a smorgasbord of birds- hummingbirds, mockingbirds, martens, cardinals, jays. But she actually feeds them, we just let them roost.

[7rider]

Tell your DH I have a degree in Fisheries, too! No excuse! A field guide is a field guide, be it birds or fish. Pick one up...a fun way to pass time. Or, check out the best one on the 'net: Cornell's All About Birds Bird Guide.

Here's the house finch.

Here's the purple finch for comparison.

Here's the barn swallow.

I love birds....

[Aggie_Ama]

Tell your DH I have a degree in Fisheries, too! No excuse!

And he is selling plants! I have to drag him away from plants on vacation. We got back from NM and California and were looking at pictures, my mom was like "Why do you have so many pictures of plants?"

And obviously my friends are house finches. He looks just like the link you posted and the girl looks like the female.

Mudmucker- I actually live on the edge of the House and Purple finch are in central Texas but he is a scarlet color, not raspberry. The link 7 posted looks like a raspberry color too. I think I would like to put up a feeder, maybe DH would go along with it he did agree to the bath and my bird/butterfly plants.

[mudmucker]

Texas has a wonderful assortment of birds - more than in MA. Right about now is the perfect time to be looking out for them. They'll be hanging out in their springtime breeding plumage, all bright and colorful.

I know up here in New England we all wait for the annual warbler migration. Their travel corridor is along the coast and it'll be about 3 weeks in May here in MA where they'll start to show up. Mt. Auburn Cemetery is a historic botanical cemetery in Cambridge, and happens to be one of the most popular warbler spots in the state because it is a very expansive green area along the coast. They fly at night and drop in, in the very early morning and if you're there at the right morning at 6 am there are hundreds of bright colorful warblers in trees, so many it seems like there are Christmas ornaments in the trees.

There are many places like that in Texas. Get a feeder, get a book. It's fun. You won't get warblers or other insect feeding birds at the feeder - only seed eaters but you got plenty of those too. But don't forget to look high in the trees. Your insect feeders will be hovering for food in the trees.

[Aggie_Ama]

I actually live right by the protected area where the Golden Cheek Warbler lives. There is a great hiking trail you can supposedly get a good look at them. And Bald eagles nest down the road a piece. I haven't seen either yet.

Unfortunately my house sits on what was once ranch land, it is just cleared of cedar so no tall trees. I need to get a book before I head back to Ft. Davis, they had tons of neat birds out there! And the coast is good for birding but we always go in the summer when they have left because it is so hot, never the bird months. Go figure.