Ornithology Field Journal 2

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.

Posted on February 24, 2024 12:58 AM by