Butt Birding on the Magic Deck

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my friend Laura Shelton refers to the deck around my Innsbrook home as the "Magic Deck" because some really fun, amazing things show up there (feathered and non-feathered things.) Our chalet at Innsbrook actually sits on the side of a very large hill. A lot of great things show up on the deck because it is parallel to many tree tops. You could almost call it a treehouse of sorts.

Yesterday I stayed in the entire day at Innsbrook and tried enjoying the quiet rainy day (it was a long day!) I decided to make something of my time and do some "butt birding." My friend Jane Mootz came up with that funny phrase to describe birding from a single stationary place. You just plop down on a bench, and wait to see what shows up.

Well, instead of a bench, I chose the rocking chair in the living room that overlooks the deck, which overlooks the lake. I spent at least an hour just sitting there, and then spent much time on-and-off through out the day carefully watching the action just outside the window.

Sorry, none of these photos are too clear. They are all shot through a dirty window!
Here is a Red-bellied Woodpecker and an American Goldfinch at the feeders.

I cannot believe the number of species I saw within one day from that one spot. There were a lot of the regulars, like Tufted Titmice and Nuthatches, but I couldn't believe the number of oddies, like White-throated Sparrows and warblers.

Cedar Waxwing, before I realized there was whole flock!

I think the best part of the day was seeing a flock of Cedar Waxwings enjoying a drink from a pan of water. I read that birds often need fresh water from a shallow source, so I put one out there several months ago. It usually goes unused for the most part, except for an occasional American Goldfinch, and I literally was going to remove it last week. I am so glad I didn't! I was such a joy to see the Waxwings drinking away. I have NEVER seen them on, or from the deck for that matter, before yesterday. What a great surprise! That pan is staying!


Here is my "Magic Deck Butt Birding" list for October 22, 2009.

• Tufted Titmouse
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Carolina Chickadee (90 percent sure)
• Northern Cardinal
• Eastern Phoebe (swirling its tail around)
• American Robins
• White-throated Sparrow
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Yellow-Rumped Warbler
• Wild Turkey (I saw them actually fly!)
• Cedar Waxwings
• American Goldfinches
• Ruby Crowned Kinglet (they are becoming my favorite bird. So darn cute!)
• Blue Jays

Cedar Waxwings drinking away!