Friday Journal May 22, 2020

Today Friday May 22nd I went out into the field for bird observations. The field sight of choosing was the Black Creek/Maquam Creek Trails in the Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge in Swanton, VT. I arrived at the field sight at 7:00 am and the excitement immediately started. The weather was 50 degrees and climbing into the 70’s throughout the morning, with a slight wind. A brief description of the habitat was a section of grasslands at the beginning of the trail, and a chain of creeks and swamps with a deciduous overstory and understory of ferns and small shrubs.

On the border of the parking lot as soon as I got out of the car I was able to see 3 Killdeer’s by sight and ear while they were singing “killdeer-killdeer-killdeer” back and forth. Along with before I entered the trial a Great Blue Heron flew above, and I was able to see a second one flying above later on in the morning. As I stepped in the woods I heard two spurts of the winnowing “Hu-hu-hu-hu” sound of a Wilson’s Snipe but was unable to get a recording before it stopped. Moving down the trail I was able to ID a Wood Thrush by sight with brown backing and spotted belly, with help from the songs of three others. Red-winged Blackbirds again dominated the trails throughout the morning with their flight activity and their calls. I was able to ID 21 Red-winged Blackbirds both by sight and sound. I was also able to see my first American Goldfinch in the field and ID 2 by sight and 2 by song.

Gray Catbirds were singing and flying throughout the management area as well, a total of 5 Gray Catbirds were seen between sight and sound. I was very excited to see a Black-and-white Warbler this morning perched in a low shrub tree singing its “squeeky tire” song. Through the duration of the morning flashes of orange and black spread through the trees of the American Redstart. A total of 6 American Redstarts were ID’d from the sight and their high-pitched noted song. While sitting near a swamp at the end for an extended period of time I was able to ID a total of 14 Canada Geese through their calls leading me to locate them in the water and the air. A single Osprey was perched in a standing dead tree across the water for the entire time I was sitting here. While sitting here I also saw an abundant amount of Tree Swallows chasing each other around above the swamps and connecting creeks. The 18 Tree Swallows were accompanied by 2 Chimney Swifts chattering their calls along the way.

A group of 8 Mallards flew above the swamp and out of sight, and a single male Mallard was seen swimming in the creek alone later on. When leaving my sitting position, I was able to hear and ID a Mourning Dove and its deep song off in the distance. The song of a Baltimore Oriole caught my attention and I was able to see 2 chasing each other around in a tree. Black-capped Chickadees were recognized 6 different times two by sight and 4 by their two noted song of a high and low note. While walking back down the trail, the drumming of a woodpecker caught my attention allowing me to ID 2 Downy Woodpeckers moving up separate trees close together. Later on, drumming of a Hairy Woodpecker caught my attention as well. Along a separate path the “teacher-teacher-teacher-teacher” song of the Ovenbird spread through the low branches allowing me to ID 6 by sound. The Eastern Kingbirds “electric” song caught my attention and was able to see a glimpse of the single bird through the trees. In a similar situation I was able to hear the “reep-reep-reep” of a Great Crested Flycatcher, and spot part of its body through the trees before it flew away.

Moving towards the end of the trail I was able to see many different yellow birds which excited me. A total of 12 Yellow Warblers chasing each other around signing “sweet-sweet-sweet I’m so sweet” in the time I was sitting here. Along with this 4 Common Yellowthroats standing out moving quickly high up in the trees. Two Yellow-rumped Warblers were chasing each other throughout the shrubs as well, allowing me to view their black and white body with yellow side and rump briefly. The quick notes that almost sound like laughing I was able to compare to a White-breasted Nuthatch that I heard in the distance. The Eastern Phoebes song I was able to ID from the distinct “Phee-bee” song of three individuals along the trail. The Song Sparrows quick notes and trills in between allowed be to ID a total of 6, 3 of which were by sight and 3 by song. Nearing the end, I completed my observation period at 12:00 and headed back home feeling super accomplished seeing and hearing many new species that I have not seen before.

Posted on May 22, 2020 09:22 PM by ajchagnon