hrhill's Journal

On Saturday, April 28th, 2018, at approximately 2:30 pm, I went on a grand tour around Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area. It was sunny and windy and approximately 63 degrees Fahrenheit. The habitats included were open agriculture fields, riparian areas along the creek, hay fields, and mixed forests. I walked along the Brilyea path at Dead Creek, which is where I saw/heard many species including: Tree Swallow, American Robin, Canada Goose, Common Grackle, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Eastern Phoebe, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Pileated Woodpecker, Willow Flycatcher, Turkey Vulture, Green-winged Teal, and American Goldfinch. I also went down West Road and saw a Mallard swimming in a flooded area. When I went down Gage Road, I saw Killdeer, an Osprey, and more Canada Geese (as I was at the back of the refuge).

On Sunday, April 22nd, 2018, at approximately 12:15 pm, I embarked on a bird walk through the Wenlock Wildlife Management Area in Ferdinand, VT. It was approximately 45 degrees and felt quite warm in the sun, although the wind was cold. The habitats included boreal spruce/fir forest as well as several bogs and riparian areas with species such as tamarack. At the beginning of my walk, I noticed a Boreal Chickadee flying from one side of the trail to the other, and it perched in a tall conifer. As I approached a wide bog, I noticed two Common Grackles, which I assumed were a male and female breeding pair, flitting from tree to tree above the water. I also heard the triumphant trill of a Dark-Eyed Junco, who I was also able to visually identify perched in a tree at the edge of the bog. Further into the boreal forest, I heard Golden-crowned Kinglets singing, and I also heard alarm calls of several Black-capped Chickadees. I was hoping to see a Spruce Grouse but never found one.

I think the Common Grackles I observed may have been exhibiting behaviors related to male selection or nest selection. One of the birds seemed to be following the other bird, and would wait for the first bird to flit to another tree before moving. I think this may have been the male following the female, perhaps in courtship or perhaps as the female surveyed for nesting locations. I think if the pair were building a nest or searching for potential nest sites, they may have been moving across the bog to find a tall coniferous tree towards the edge of the water.

The Dark-eyed Junco I observed seemed to be exhibiting territorial behavior, perhaps including the defense of a nest or a mate nearby. He was trilling loudly and repeatedly for the entire time that I was present near the tree he was perched in, and even as I moved on to take the trail into the forest he continued to trill. I know that Dark-eyed Juncos prefer to nest on sloping ground or on rock faces or upturned tree roots in this type of habitat (removed from human activity), which is quite the opposite of the Common Grackle which nests up high in tall trees. I think the Dark-eyed Junco was defending a relatively good territory, as the bog seemed to be a natural edge to the side of higher quality habitat. Past the bog, the forest became thicker and when I was walking through it later on I could see lots of sloping ground and tree roots, which could be great potential nest sites for Dark-eyed Juncos. I think the male Dark-eyed Junco I observed was a relatively fit male, because of his loud and confident song and the resources available in the habitat/territory around him.

The Golden-crowned Kinglets that I could hear singing deeper in to the boreal forest would most likely be lining their nests with mosses, lichen, and plant material. The forest floor was covered in mosses and plants, which made for an abundance of useful resources for Golden-crowned Kinglet nesting. The Golden-crowned Kinglets would not have had to travel very far to acquire these materials, because they were available everywhere I looked. I also learned that Golden-crowned Kinglets tend to search for nest building materials within 65 feet of their nest tree, so it makes sense that they would choose nest sites in this area of the boreal forest where resources were abundant. However, I did hear a lot of singing back and forth, which I assumed may have meant that there were some males butting heads over the delineations of their territories.

For my mini activity, I did not have a whole lot of luck. When sitting in one spot, I really did not hear any birds at all. I had to travel through the forest and around the edges of the bogs in order to see and hear birds. I think this is because I went in the middle of the day, when a lot of the birds in the forest may not have been very active. I also think that it may have been a little too early in the year still to see some species that migrate to the boreal forest habitat for the summer. However, I was glad that I spent Earth Day birding in the boreal forest!

On Sunday, April 8th, 2018, at approximately 2pm, I commenced a bird-watching excursion that included the edge of Shelburne Bay and the trails around the LaPlatte River. It was a chilly and windy 33 degrees Fahrenheit, and it was cloudy. The habitats I observed included the bay, the wetland areas around the edges of the LaPlatte River, more interior forest farther away from the river, and several open field areas.

At the beginning of my walk, on the edge of the bay, I used a spotting scope to observe Bufflehead, Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneye, and a Song Sparrow. I also noticed a Ring-billed Gull that flew overhead. I heard a Song Sparrow singing in the reeds near the edge of the bay, and was able to visually identify him as well.

As I began walking along the trails along the river, I saw a Canada Goose treading water in the slow-moving, marshy part of the river. I also noticed several others flying overhead and honking. I heard many Black-capped Chickadees as I walked through the forest on the trails, as well as an American Crow. I watched a Turkey Vulture fly off into the distance, and I heard the drumming of a Pileated Woodpecker.

I saw a Great Blue Heron in flight in the marshy, wetland area. It flew across the water and landed and perched in the water, near the edge. I also saw a Double-Crested Cormorant take flight out of the water and fly off into the distance.

I heard and saw several Red-Breasted Nuthatches, and was also lucky enough to see some Golden-crowned Kinglets (the yellow tufts on their heads are so cute!). In addition, I saw a female Hairy Woodpecker and two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. These were all in the wetland area and in the forest right next to the wetland as well. I also heard 2 songs from birds that I could not visually identify, and I also could not identify them by sound.

Lastly, as I was exiting the forest, I saw a Common Raven flying quite low over the trees, and could see its fan-shaped tail, large body size, and thick bill. It was an incredible day for birding. I saw and heard a huge variety of species, many of which I had never seen in real life before!

On Thursday, April 5th, 2018, at approximately 12:15 pm, I began a bird walk through Centennial Woods in Burlington, VT. It was a chilly 30 degrees Fahrenheit, although it was mostly sunny and the ground was very muddy. I walked through several different types of habitat, including edge habitat, deeper forest habitat, and wetland habitats along the banks of Centennial Brook. At the beginning of my walk I heard mostly Black-capped Chickadees and what I believed to be Dark-eyed Juncos, but as I moved deeper into the forest I heard a Brown Creeper and a White-breast Nuthatch. I also saw three American Crows flying above the canopy, and I heard some birds that I couldn't identify. I heard a Blue Jay and two Northern Cardinals in some of the edge habitat of Centennial Woods, and I also heard a Red-winged Blackbird in a reedy wetland area. The forest was actually very quiet, seemingly because I went for my bird walk in the middle of the day when most of the birds were inactive. However, by the end of my walk I had definitely seen and heard a variety of species.

I considered the adaptions of the Black-capped Chickadee and the American Crow, two resident species who forego migration. I think the reason the Black-capped Chickadee and the American Crow do not need to migrate is because they both have a widely varied diet. Although Black-capped Chickadees are mainly insectivores, they will also change their diet seasonally to be quite the generalist. The American Crow is an omnivorous generalist and I believe this allows them to reside in Vermont all year without needing to find unexploited resources elsewhere. As far as physiology goes, Black-capped Chickadees undergo facultative hypothermia to conserve metabolic energy when it is cold out, which is an adaptation that I believe is really important for allowing them to forego migration. The American Crow exhibits a communal roosting behavior when it is cold, using group body heat to stay warm during cold nights. This is a behavioral adaptation which I believe is necessary for them to reside year-round in Vermont and forego migration.

Although I think our Vermont populations of Dark-eyed Juncos are probably year-round residents, I know that Dark-eyed Juncos are considered facultative migrants. I think the main reason why populations would be migrating at this time would be to exploit resources that are becoming available as the seasons change. If there are more food and habitat resources available in this area, they may be shifting their location to accommodate themselves, and may shift back to a different location if temperatures drop or if those resources become unavailable again.

I was very excited to hear a Red-winged Blackbird, which I believe is more of an obligate migrant species. Because Vermont is part of the Red-winged Blackbird's breeding range, I think some advantages of Red-winged Blackbirds migrating to Vermont/Burlington in early April is that males can start to establish territories and delineate boundaries with their neighbors to prepare for breeding and nesting season. As they arrive early, they can find areas with the best habitat and the best resources and begin to defend them. They can also begin singing to attract a mate and ward off competitors.

For my mini activity, I did not come up with significant distances for my migratory species because most of the species I observed today were residents; however, it is possible, although probably unlikely, that the Red-winged Blackbird I heard may have travelled as far as 800 miles from the non-breeding range in the Southern US to the breeding range here in Vermont. I am excited to start seeing more migratory species returning to Vermont!

On Wednesday, March 14th, 2018, at 1:30pm I visited Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, NY to go bird-watching. It was cloudy and windy, and it was 39 degrees Fahrenheit. The habitat consisted of wooded paths, and an open field. My walk began on a path through the woods, on which I observed 5 Mourning Doves foraging on the ground; I wondered why there wasn't 6 of them, since I usually see them in pairs. I also saw several Black-capped Chickadees perching in the trees, and I noticed a male and female Hairy Woodpecker climbing trees off to the side of the trail. I could hear the "yank" call of a White-breasted Nuthatch somewhere in the forest, but couldn't visually find the bird, which was frustrating. As I entered a more open area, I heard a Blue Jay calling from the edge of the forest, and I witnessed the breathtaking flight of a Red-tailed Hawk foraging for mice in the open field. I think it was a female, because of the large body size and brownish tail feathers. The individual was also missing one of her tail feathers, although I'm not sure why; I suppose it could have been from a fight with another bird, or maybe just from wear-and-tear. As I walked along the muddy edge of the field, I noticed an American Robin, which was exciting because I always associate Robins with spring. The other two birds I heard were an American Crow and a Northern Cardinal, and I was extremely lucky to see an American Kestrel foraging over the field. I also saw a Turkey Vulture gliding through the air towards the edge of the park as I concluded my walk.

I observed the interactions of the Mourning Doves, and noticed that they seemed to be using their wing whistle as an alarm call. As I approached them while they were foraging on the ground, two of them suddenly took off and flew for the safety of a perch, and the sound of their wing whistle triggered the other three to fly to safety as well. I also thought it was interesting to compare the plumage of the Mourning Doves to the plumage of the Red-tailed Hawk. The Mourning Doves were cryptically colored, so much so that I didn't even notice them on the dirt path at first. I think the evolutionary advantage to their coloring comes from the fact that they forage on the ground, so blending into the brownish gray color of the ground or forest floor helps conceal them from predators while they forage. The Red-tailed Hawk on the other hand was a bird of prey, and exhibited countershading, which is an advantage because they can use the reflection of light off of their dorsal or ventral side to conceal themselves while hunting for prey.

I found it very interesting to observe the behavior of the American Kestrel that I saw, because I have never seen the hovering movement in flight before. The American Kestrel was high in the sky, and when I first saw it, the bird was flying over the field I was walking through. However, the bird suddenly stopped moving and hovered in the air for such a long time that I figured it must have spotted prey down below. It made very calculated movements each time it stopped hovering; however, I never saw it dive for its prey, so it must have eluded the predator. I think this foraging behavior fits into the circadian rhythm of the American Kestrel because American Kestrels are diurnal hunters, and I was observing the bird in the middle of the day. I also think this behavior fits the circannual rhythm of the American Kestrel, because spring is coming and food resources are becoming more available, meaning that there is more prey for the bird to hunt for, especially in open fields where mice are common.

I did not have much luck with my pishing mini-activity. I tried it on some Black-capped Chickadees, but it did not pique their curiosity. In fact, it actually startled them and scared them away. I think I must have done it too loudly. However, I believe this sound probably works to entice small birds because when done softly it could sound like the rustle or buzz of an insect, which small birds may forage on. A harsher pish call could sound like a predator, which could scare them away or make them band together to fend off the intruder. I think if done a certain way, the pish call can also just be a strange noise that makes small birds curious to investigate.

At 8am on Monday, March 12th, 2018, I began observing birds at the bird feeder in my mom's backyard in Poughquag, NY. We live on a mountain, in a rural community where our closest neighbor is 1/4 mile away through the woods. We have a large backyard and our property includes 13 acres of forest. I was also able to walk around and observe birds in the hardwood forest behind my house, which is where a lot of the birds will fly to perch after grabbing seeds from the feeder. The first birds I noticed at the feeder were Black-capped Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Tufted Titmouses. The Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmouses were more aggressive and dominant than the Dark-Eyed Juncos, and would chase them away even though the Dark-eyed Juncos were more numerous. I also noticed that body size had a lot to do with dominance in the Tufted Titmouses; the larger individuals dominated the feeder. Next, I observed several White-breasted Nuthatches at the feeder, and I watched them fly away to perches on tree trunks nearby. I also heard the call of a Northern Cardinal, and later saw the brilliant red plumage of the male perched in a tree. I noticed a Mourning Dove perched on a branch, and I believe the individual was coming out of facultative hypothermia; the individual was motionless for the first twenty minutes of my observation, and then slowly I noticed the individual moving its head, preening a little bit, and then eventually shifting perch positions. Six other Mourning Doves joined this individual during my observation time. The other birds I saw included an American Crow in flight above the canopy, a Red-bellied Woodpecker drilling into a snag, a male and female Downy Woodpecker at the feeder, and a Blue Jay flying from perch to perch in the top of a tree.

I noticed that all of the birds I saw would immediately puff up their feathers as soon as they found a perch after feeding. The Mourning Doves would puff up especially large; they also would compete with each other for sunny patches on perches and would chase away unpaired Mourning Doves. I think that in particular, the Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses, and Dark-eyed Juncos were using their fluffed feathers to retain body heat as they perched and finished eating. I also noticed that the White-breasted Nuthatches would make very calculated moves to the feeder, and would not strike unless they were certain they could grab a seed before flying away. I think at this time of the year, the species I observed are budgeting their time by feeding and resting to maintain body heat and keep their metabolisms going. I also think many of them are engaging in facultative hypothermia or torpor at night to conserve energy. The birds that live in the forest behind my house also know that we keep a bird feeder out, and I think they budget their time around foraging at the feeder because it is a known, reliable source of food. At other times of the year, I think they would spend more time foraging in the woods for seeds or insects. The seeds we put out in the feeder are an efficient source of calories for these birds, because they don't have to spend a lot of time and energy foraging. I also believe a lot of these birds are overnighting in trees in close proximity to the feeder, such as the Mourning Dove perched in the tree who was coming out of facultative hypothermia. The Mourning Doves were also perching in pairs for the most part, which I think was partly to do with using each others' body heat to stay warm (but also was related to mating, I'm sure).

For my Snag Watch mini activity, I wandered through the woods behind my house to examine the snags nearby. Because I observed a Red-bellied Woodpecker and two Downy Woodpeckers, I knew there had to be snags nearby. I found a tall snag that the Red-bellied Woodpecker had been drilling into, and I'm pretty sure I saw a cavity towards the top of the snag. I also noticed several smaller snags which I hypothesized the Downy Woodpeckers were using, or potentially some other Woodpecker species. I think Woodpeckers are the most likely species to use snags, because they drill into them to create cavities as well as forage. However, I think plenty of resident songbird species could use a previously drilled cavity for shelter from the cold and wind, and protection from predators, especially at night when they enter torpor or facultative hypothermia. Because I was observing in the morning and not at dusk, I am not sure if there was a correlation between snag abundance and bird abundance; however, I think it would make sense for there to be more birds in areas with more snags, due to the use value of snags as a foraging, nesting, resting, and shelter resource.

At approximately 2:30 pm on Thursday, February 15th 2018, I embarked on a walk through Red Rocks Park in South Burlington, Vermont. It was a balmy 48 degrees Fahrenheit and was quite windy. The habitats at Red Rocks included edges near residential areas, deeper softwood and mixed hardwood forest, and open cliffs. As I was walking through the woods, I heard several American Crows and spotted them flying overhead. I also heard the drumming of a Pileated Woodpecker. Throughout my walk, I heard many Black-capped Chickadees singing and chirping, and I also saw them flying and perching in the trees above me. When I reached the cliffs overlooking Lake Champlain, I saw a flock of Common Goldeneye bobbing in the water where the ice had broken away and melted. The Common Goldeneye took off from the water and began to fly away. As I was walking back along the trails I heard at least one Tufted Titmouse singing, although I think there were most likely two. As the trails wound through edge habitat near a residential area, I observed a male Northern Cardinal chasing away several Cedar Waxwings from a tall cedar tree. There were also two female Northern Cardinals perched in a tree nearby. Several Black-capped Chickadees were perching in the trees as well as I left.

I spent some time observing the behavior and flight pattern of the Black-capped Chickadees that I saw. The Black-capped Chickadees moved frequently, perching for a few moments before taking off and flying to a new branch or tree. They were quite vocal and sang to each other almost constantly. They flew in a swooping motion, with bouncy, rounded flight. They flapped their wings often during flight.

I also observed the behavior and flight patterns of the Common Goldeneye that I saw. The Common Goldeneye spent most of their time bobbing in the water, although the males would flap their wings occasionally and flash the white parts of their wings. When it was time for flight, the whole flock prepared and began to flap and take off from the water. Once in the air, they gracefully moved together. They moved in a much straighter, direct way than the Black-capped Chickadees did, and once they were in the air their wing flaps were methodical and not frantic.

The Common Goldeneye had longer wings in comparison to their body shape than the Black-capped Chickadees. I think there is a direct relationship between flight style and wing shape; the Common Goldeneye had longer wings for more sustained flight, whereas the Black-capped Chickadees had short wings for quick movements from branch to branch. I also think habitat niche has a direct relationship with wing shape and flight style. The Common Goldeneye were clearly a type of waterfowl spending much of their time in the water or flying above water in open spaces, which allows them to have a wing type designed for sustained flight and movement. The Black-capped Chickadees were a small, edge habitat and forest-dwelling bird that spent a lot of time in more closed canopies, near houses, and among telephone wires, which allows them to have a wing type designed for shorter flight movements and dexterous, swooping motions.

I think these birds can be easily identified by their flight patterns, because waterfowl would not engage in the same kind of bouncy, quick flight that a songbird would engage in. Observing the way a bird is flying can tell you a lot about the habitat they dwell in, which in turn can give you the best clues for identification.