cobyw's Journal

time - 8:30pm - 11:30pm
location- Audubon Vermont: Green Mountain Audubon Center
weather - Partially cloudy, 40-50 degrees.
habitat - Open field, forested area, pond, wetland area

time - 7:30pm - 9:30pm
location- Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge
weather - Partially cloudy before sunset, clear skies after. 40-50 degrees.
habitat - Open meadow with scattered shrubs, forested trail.

I was able to observe a male American Woodcock engage in it's evening courtship displays during this birding trip, and therefore witnessed the iconic mate/territory selection behaviors of this species. In a large meadow, the Woodcock I observed had selected a small patch of shrubs to nest, likely to provide some protection from the elements as well as predation. During the mating display, the Woodcock followed a series of vocalizations with a flight high into the air in hopes of attracting a nearby female around the forest edge. In terms of territory, this Woodcock found a good location. The shrubs provided important cover, and the openness of the meadow provided a large stage for the Woodcock to perform on. Since the bird had acquired such a nice territory, and the mating displays were strong, I would assume that this particular male was in good health. Another bird I witnessed in this meadow habitat was the Wilson's Snipe. This bird nests on the ground in the meadow, where they can easily blend in among the grass. They construct their nests, by organizing grasses into a bowl shape, so most if not all of the nest making materials are found around the nest site in the field.

time - 6:30pm - 7:15pm
date - 4/9/2024
location- Northwest corner of Burlington Country Club
weather - Clear skies, minimal wind, 50 degrees fahrenheit, slightly dusk
habitat - Woodland bordering large field and two small ponds

Date - 3/16/2024
Start time - 11:00am
End time - 12:30pm
Location - Jones Pond, Moristown, NJ
Weather - 60 degrees fahrenheit with minimal wind and clouds
Habitat(s) - Wetland, small pond, riparian, woodland

Many of the species I observed exist in this habitat year round. if a stable food source exists, a bird may forego annual migration. For example, the Belted Kingfisher requires proximity to open water to indulge its diet of small fish and stream macro invertebrates. Luckily for the Kingfisher, Jones Pond rarely freezes over in the New Jersey winter, so the bird faces no pressure to migrate. Another perennial New Jersey resident is the Downy Woodpecker. Similarly to the Kingfishers, these birds have no issue sustaining their diet through the winter. Additionally, these woodpeckers can combat cold conditions by taking shelter in trees they have bored holes in.

A facultative migrant species that may be arriving in Burlington around this time is the Canada Goose. These birds tend to winter around the Southern US and summer in Northern Canada. They are mostly grazing birds, meaning they require fields with vegetation to obtain nutrients. The climate in Burlington doesn't usually allow vegetation growth and the onset of Spring until April, so it still may be a bit early for Geese here. The main disadvantage of migrant birds arriving to Burlington in April is the unpredictable conditions depending on the year. It isn't winter anymore but also isn't Spring quite yet, and these conditions can have major effects on returning birds.

Surprisingly, all of the species I observed are year-round residents on New Jersey. This is surprising to me because March usually indicates a changing of seasons in New Jersey. Open water and emerging vegetation can also be found around this time. If I did see migrant species, they would likely be Canada Geese or Red-winged Blackbirds, which are both commonly around bodies of water.

Date - 3/07/24
Start time - 1:15pm
End time - 2:30pm
Location - Centennial Woods
Weather - Partly cloudy and a bit gusty, around 40 degrees fahrenheit
Habitat(s) - Deciduous, riparian, and edge habitat (Western section of park)

I documented a fairly low level of biodiversity on this outing, however I was able to observe several individuals from most of the species I did encounter. Theses circumstances allowed me to observe how birds of several species interact with members of their own species. The species I was able to observe interacting the most was the Black-capped Chickadee. Something I found interesting was how they use a mix of songs and calls when communicating, which can be hear at the end of the included audio file. Since the chickadees mostly traveled in groups of 3-5 and it is not quite their mating season yet, I assume that these communications are not part of their mating process, and instead important in building other social connections as well as alerting potential threats.
Several of the bird species I observed displayed drastically different plumages. Pine Siskins, for example, boast brown and grey earth tones to provide camouflage. The American Crow, on the other hand, has black plumage, which stands out much more. Crows are much larger than Pine Siskins, and therefore may not experience the same predatory pressure. One of the individual birds I observed, a chickadee, was flying around small trees near the edge of the park. I believe this activity was foraging, as the chickadee appeared to be investigating each tree closely. Since it is quite warm, I don't believe these chickadees are anywhere near the point of hypothermia, and therefore do not require as much energy to support their metabolisms in case of extreme cold events. All of the chickadees I observed appeared very active, and none seemed to be in a state of recovery from hypothermia or torpor. Unfortunately, my "pishing" attempts had no effect on the birds around me. "Pishing" is thought to reflect social calls of chickadees, and has an invitational effect on many other passerines. Another theory states that this sound is seen as a multi-species invitational call for passerines to flock together (Wikipedia).

Date - 2/22/24
Start time - 9:15am
End time - 10:30am
Location - Burlington Intervale
Weather (temperature, wind speed/direction, precipitation) - Overcast and a bit gusty, around 35 degrees fahrenheit
Habitat(s) - Deciduous, riparian, and edge habitat (Area borders both agricultural land and Winooski River.

Despite this winter displaying warmer weather than any other in recent Vermont history, the conditions still make life difficult for many local bird species. However, my brief walk yielded a variety of bird species, all making the necessary adjustments to tough through the winter. Take Black-capped Chickadees for example. These small yet vocal birds are perhaps the most abundantly found Vermont wintering species, and taking a closer look at them reveals why. During the winter, they will puff out their feathers, providing them with vital insulation.
A shift in season often brings a shift in food availability, but some birds see little change to their diets. Insectivorous birds such as woodpeckers and nuthatches, who generally locate their prey in and around trees and snags, continue this behavior throughout the winter season, as their prey remain within trees. I was able to observe several of these insectivorous species hunting among the trees. Similarly to insects in trees, life in the stream persists and remains available as long as open water remains. The Winooski River at the Intervale was clear of ice except for a a few feet surrounding the banks, and waterfowl were a common sight. The Common Merganser is especially adept at catching fish in wintery conditions. Prey fish tend to frequent deeper waters in colder conditions, and the ability to dive makes Mergansers successful hunters year round.
Throughout my walk, I located 15 snags, all within 30 feet of the trail. Many were within 10-20 feet tall, with a few surpassing this height range. Several of the snags were inaccessible to me, and tapping on the rest did not reveal any animals. I noticed cavities on almost all the snags, and especially large ones on the shorter snags. This could be due to shorter snags being generally farther along in the decay process. I also noticed a larger density of birds around snags than living trees. Snags may be a more inviting home to tree boring insects than living trees, resulting in a higher density of insect-eating birds, Additionally, snag cavities offer shelter to a wide variety of species including and outside of birds. Snags can be classified as one of the tools utilized by wintering birds to help them survive Vermont winter conditions.