Birds in Houston! Birding in the backyard!

I wanted to compile a simple list of all the birds I’ve seen in Houston. Trust me, there’s more than you ever thought! I would have never imagined that birding could be so wonderful and fulfilling – most of which I can photograph in my own yard or backyard. This so far has been an AMAZING journey and we’ve only just begun. I’m running a Nikon D3500 with a Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary for most of these photographs.

American goldfinch

American robin

American pipit

Bald eagle, female

Bald eagle, juvenile

Bald eagle, male

Black-capped chickadee

Black vulture

Blue jay

Brown-headed cowbird

Carolina wren

Cedar waxwings

Common starling

Coopers hawk

Downy woodpecker

Eastern bluebird

Eastern phoebe

Great blue heron

Great egret (white) and a Double-crested cormorant (black)

Great-tailed grackle

House sparrow

Northern cardinal, female

Northern cardinal, male

Northern crested caracara

Northern mockingbird

Pine warbler

Red-bellied woodpecker

Red-shouldered hawk

Snowy egret

Tufted titmouse

Turkey vulture

White-winged dove

Yellow-rumped warbler

Edited on 3/7 to add the American pipit, Black vulture, Brown-headed cowbird and a White-winged dove

Edited on 3/15 to add Downy woodpecker, Bald eagles, Black-capped chickadee and American goldfinch.

Sigma 150-600mm with a 2x Magnifier with the Nikon!

I was already in love with the 150-600mm lens, head over heels, couldn’t get enough – in love with it. Then, the 2x Magnifier that we ordered for the Sigma 150-600mm arrived and took my emotions to an entirely new level.

THESE ARE ALL SHOTS FROM OUR BACKYARD!

Nikon D3500 with 2x Magnifier and the Sigma 150-600mm, also a Cardinal

Two cons about the magnifier:

1. When you’re out at 1200mm, it’s hard to find your subject. I think this is implied and probably strikes you as common sense BUT, the constant rotation of zooming in and zooming back out is a little cumbersome to find your target – it works though!
2. I had trouble focusing on the birds. They are so incredibly fast as it is, but I missed more than a couple shots just trying to get them into focus. Lots of rotating the lens to try and get the picture how I wanted it and then increasing the zoom.

Nikon D3500 with 2x Magnifier and the Sigma 150-600mm, also Eastern Bluebird

The Eastern bluebird was shot from my backyard! I was so shocked that the lens got it at all, much less captured the colors.

Nikon D3500 with 2x Magnifier and the Sigma 150-600mm, also an American robin

The detail is incredible! You can see the fuzz on his beak! This magnifier is everything and I can’t wait to really get out and use it. Texas living is amazing! I am so incredibly happy with this magnifier. Purchase it here from Amazon. Here’s also the link to the Sigma 15-600mm. (It’s an affiliate link but that does NOT cost you anything.)

Nikon D3500 with 2x Magnifier and the Sigma 150-600mm, also a female Cardinal