Ornithology Field Journal 4

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.

Posted on March 25, 2024 03:35 PM by cobyw