2/9/24 Ornithology Journal Entry

Date: 2/9/24
Start Time: 10:45 am
End Time: 12:00 pm
Location: Centennial Woods, Burlington, VT
Weather: Sunny, few clouds, ~40 degrees
Habitat: Mixed deciduous/coniferous forest, riparian/marsh

I struggled to keep track of any flying birds, but one bird I saw for a few seconds was a tufted titmouse. This bird was flying between trees and maintained a pretty level flight path. There was little movement up and down as it flew. The bird had few wing flaps, but this may be due to its relatively direct course and it was flying downwards from the top of one tree to the middle of an adjacent one. Another bird that I saw flying was a black-capped chickadee. This bird was "bouncing" up and down as it flew. It was also doing a short flight between two trees.

The relationship between a bird's niche and its flight pattern is quite interesting. Birds that are accustomed to short flights between trees often have elliptical wings that allow for maneuverability. Black-capped chickadees as well as tufted titmouse both have these types of wings. These adaptations allow them to be more suited to the environment that they spend time in. The flight pattern is a good method for identifying birds because if it does not instantly give away the identity of the species, it can tell the observer a lot about the behavior and lifestyle of the bird.

I was relatively successful in finding birds during my observation, but I struggled to get very clear views of them flying. In the future, I could go earlier in the day, which I've heard is when more birds are active. I think the area I was in was fine for birds, but perhaps I can find another similar one. Having binoculars would also be a big help as I struggled to see birds that were far away.

Posted on February 10, 2024 02:27 AM by michaell03