With its variety of habitats, including native rangeland and a restored riparian area, Chimney Creek Ranch welcomes many species of birds. A casual count in the spring of 2022 recorded 28 species; in spring of 2023, the count grew to 74 species.
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Golden-fronted Woodpeckers and Barn Swallows hang out at ranch headquarters, and Eastern Bluebirds nest in old fence post holes.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Sparrows abound in all seasons, wintering, migrating, and breeding throughout the ranch’s grass and shrub lands. Twelve species of sparrows have been seen here, some, like Grasshopper Sparrows, are found in abundance.
Grasshopper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Lark Sparrows
Cassin's Sparrow
Raptors – like Swainson’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Mississippi Kite, Crested Caracara, and Turkey Vulture -- patrol the skies, and if you’re lucky a Great Horned Owl will show itself at the creek.
Great Horned Owl
Crested Caracaras
Crested Caracara
Swainson's Hawk
Swainson's Hawk
Shorebirds, such as Greater Yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpiper, might be spotted on their migration stopovers.
Greater Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
And Great Blue Herons may have once nested in numbers along the drought-depleted lake.
Great Blue Heron Nest
Common “backyard” birds also live at Chimney Creek: doves, jays, robins, woodpeckers, house finches, cardinals, and other familiar species. Harder to see birds make their homes here, too: Northern Bobwhite, Loggerhead Shrike, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and Greater Roadrunner to name a few.
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Greater Roadrunner
In the spring of 2023, Chimney Creek Ranch hosted field trips for the Texas Ornithological Society. Participants delighted in seeing many birds.
The group spotted some species traveling through on migration including Yellow-headed Blackbird and Lark Bunting.
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbirds
Lark Buntings
Lark Bunting
Other species seen were settling into courtship and breeding including Eastern Meadowlark. Also, Grasshopper Sparrow and Cassin's Sparrow pictured above.
Eastern Meadowlark
Eastern Meadowlark
Chimney Creek Ranch co-landowner Hank Paup joined the fun and caught the birding bug when he saw his first Painted Bunting.
Texas Ornithological Society
Hank Paup
Painted Bunting photos by James A. Giroux
Painted Bunting
Painted Bunting
All photos of birds, except Painted Bunting, were taken of birds at Chimney Creek Ranch by Shelia Hargis. As anyone who’s had the privilege of birding with her knows, Shelia considers herself a birder who carries a camera, not a photographer. Many thanks to James A. Giroux for permission to use the beautiful photos of Hank Paup’s spark bird, Painted Bunting.