Texas Backyard Wildlife
Welcome to Texas Backyard Wildlife!
We share our Austin home with dozens of other animals - foxes, raccoons, deer, rock squirrels, snakes, owls, skunks, hummingbirds... Some live here with us, under the deck or high up in a tree, some are just passing through. Every day we see something new, a new butterfly, a new bird, a new behavior.
We have recorded thousands of hours of video and taken hundreds of photos of the creatures who live in our yard with us here in Austin – eating, playing, taking care of babies, hunting, and just hanging out. Texas Backyard Wildlife is our way of sharing this with our neighbors here in Austin and around the world.
Dan Ballard & Jane Hunter
texasbackyardwildlife@gmail.com
Texas Backyard Wildlife
21Jun26 - This is one of the deck mama raccoons, just hanging out. She and her friends prop themselves up against the tree and sit there looking very comfortable, just watching the rest of us coming and going. (Double click on the image to expand it to full size.)
2 days ago | [YT] | 1,635
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
19Jun26 - Two photos of Possum-face mama raccoon's babies. She has five. They're all beautiful. Remember to click on the pictures to enlarge them - the 2nd one shows all five kits.
4 days ago | [YT] | 707
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
17Jun26 - This is a gulf fritillary butterfly, newly emerged from its chrysallis. It was hanging beside one of the deck screens. Gulf fritillaries are beautiful butterflies; the gold and white patchwork pattern on their wings almost looks velvety and almost unreal.
6 days ago | [YT] | 453
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
08Jun26 - Chris's barn swallow chicks are beginning to look like birds. There are five of them. The world needs more barn swallows, and these parents are doing their best to help out.
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 713
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
05Jun26 - Have you ever wondered what a 6-day-old barn swallow chick looks like? You have? Well, here you go then. Pale Fox's friend Chris (Dan and I like him too) sent us these slightly freaky close-ups of one of the chicks currently living in a nest above his patio. A little alien creature, still with closed eyes.
2 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 605
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
31May26 - This is titmouse chick #3's inaugural flight. S/he dithered for about 20 minutes after sibling #2 flew, and then finally, with encouragement from parents outside the box, launched into the air. It's been wonderful to be able to watch these little birds grow from tiny pink blobs to real birds in 2 weeks.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 741
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
27May26 - Here are five wonderful snapshots of mama fox and her little one, Frankie, in the tree stump den this morning. To see the full picture, double click to enlarge.
3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 2,894
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
23May26 - Two snapshots from the magic tree den today. The mama raccoon and her lone kit are very endearing. The top snapshot was taken by one of our Explore watchers, Jane@SouthernGirl. We think it's brilliant.
1 month ago | [YT] | 260
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
17May26 - A screech owl perched on the cedar post down by the water bowl at 3:00 am this morning. A great little portrait.
1 month ago | [YT] | 209
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Texas Backyard Wildlife
16May2026 - Here's another good snapshot from when the Hobbit box kits were younger. It's from April 27th.
1 month ago | [YT] | 138
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