kaswitze's Journal
On Wednesday, May 2nd, I was exploring a forested area south of Burlington College. I arrived around 12:30 pm and it was mostly sunny with some clouds. The temperature was hot in the high 70s. The habitat was a forest connecting with a field and shrub area. The forest had some downed woody debris and some plants were starting to grow and cover the ground. All the birds were singing their songs loudly and consistently the whole time I was there.
On Sunday April 22nd at 5:30 pm, I went on a bird walk near the waters surrounding South Hero. Specifically, I focused on the bridge between South Hero and Colchester, the Sand Bar State Park, and the Sand Bar National Waterfowl Management Area. It was a very sunny day with almost no clouds, and the temperature was in the high 50s or low 60s. I started off by parking on the bridge to observe water fowl. I saw three Canada Geese and a Ring-billed Gull. A few minutes later, two Common Goldeneyes swam near where I was sitting. They stuck together in their pair and dove underwater several times to forage. Then, two more Common Goldeneyes fly over to the first pair, but both stayed close to their partners. They seemed to have selected their mates and were prepared to defend them. The interactions between the two pairs was peaceful for the time I watched, but they made deliberate movements to stay with their mates and would serve away if the other pair got too close.
When I went into Sand Bar State Park, I immediately started hearing the calls of the Red-winged Blackbird. I saw four of them in the parking lot pecking at the ground for food. They flew up into the trees when I got close and called to each other the whole time I was near them, presumably as warning calls. Right by the lake was four more Canada Geese looking for food and beginning to settle down for the night. One had already picked a spot to sit, and it seemed like this was their territory. I continued into the park further and came across a marsh area with many trees and some shrubs growing out of the water. There were several Red-winged Blackbirds in this area, and I counted five distinct individuals. They were each perched alone on a tree branch and not moving from their spots. They were all singing and it was clear each one had found a territory to defend and was letting all the other birds know. The habitat chosen by these Red-winged Blackbirds was much better and full of resources than the parking lot the other individuals chose. The individuals in the wetland area sang more consistently and loudly than the other Red-winged Blackbirds. They were defending a prime territory very suitable to their species and that could increase their fitness because females will prefer a male with good habitat and the ability to defend it. I didn’t see any Red-winged Blackbird nests, but they could use materials from the marsh to create them, like grasses, shrubs, and other organic material.
Walking around the park further, I heard the call of a White-breasted Nuthatch, and upon further exploration I spotted two of them scampering up a tree. They also seemed to be a pair, so more mate selection could have been occurring. I also saw six more Ring-billed Gulls flying together over the water. There was a large bird in the middle of the marsh, but it was too far away for me to identify. It was some sort of bird of prey and was sitting on a tree nearby a very large nest. Other observations in the area suggest it was some species of hawk or eagle. It sat observing the nest for a while, then fly over and sat in the next. This bird seemed to control the territory. There were no other nests around and it was not leaving the area.
The Sand Bar National Waterfowl Management Area across the road from the park was full of nests. All the nests were up high on some sort of platform, and there were birds guarding all of them. Once again, they were too far from the road to identify, but there was some serious competition happening for that territory. It appeared to be a quality marsh because of how intense the amount of nests was, with all the birds trying to enhance their fitness with quality resources. The birds in this area were using twigs and sticks to build their nests that they got from the marsh and surrounding land. Above the road, I saw three Turkey Vultures circling around looking for food.
On Wednesday, April 18th at 2:00 pm, I walked around the Burlington College area near the waterfront of Lake Champlain. This is an interesting area because it connects several types of bird habitats, including the lake, open fields, a couple types of forests, and areas with woody shrubs. This area is right behind where land is being cleared for new housing developments, so it is interesting to see how bird abundances will change in the coming years. This day was very gloomy and chilly. Temperatures were in the low 30 degrees Fahrenheit and it was very cloudy. Due to these conditions, I had a difficult time getting photos of the birds that were light enough to identify their features.
On Sunday April 1st, I went down to the Burlington waterfront area at 3:00 pm to look for birds. It was mostly cloudy, but the sun peaked out a couple times while I was there. It was around 35 degrees Fahrenheit and very windy. Walking by the docks, I saw there were many gulls standing on a small patch of ice on the lake. Upon closer inspection, I observed they were Ring-billed Gulls. I counted 30 on the ice. They were very loud as I approached them, warning each other of my presence, but they calmed back down relatively quickly. I sat and watched them for several minutes, noticing that once in a while one would jump into the water to clean itself and then hop back on the ice. Two of the gulls would engage in agonistic behavior once in a while. They snapped at each other with their beaks. A different gull turned around and straightened its neck for an elongated posture. It then walked at one of the other gulls, who moved out of the way. There were more Ring-billed Gulls around the area that were not on ice patches. Two were sitting on a nearby dock, 5 fly over my head away from the lake, and 3 more were standing on the grass. With all these gulls everywhere, they were almost constantly making noises.
Many Ring-billed Gulls migrate during the winter, and some do not. Those that stay are able to scavenge for food around human-occupied areas, like parking lots and garbage cans. Those that do migrate often fly down the coast in flocks and end up anywhere in the southern portion of the United States. A common reason these gulls may not migrate is they live in areas where ice-free water is available during winter months. Ring-billed Gulls could be considered facultative migrants since they don’t migrate if food and resources are available. Their migration is a response to the current conditions they live in, and they will travel short to medium distances.
I continued to walk south along the lake and saw two Rock Pigeons fly over my head towards the ECHO Center. Once I got to the road in front of the building, I only saw one of the pigeons. I was standing on the brick road pecking at the ground. It looked at me several times and did not move much. Rock Pigeons do not migrate, which I believe is due mainly to their food source. Pigeons benefit from human food scraps and peck at roads and sidewalks to find sustenance. Living in areas with humans also provides them with shelter during the colder months. Their bodies also do not seem well-equipped to travel the long distances required to migrate.
These were the only two bird species I saw during my walk along the waterfront, so I also engaged in bird observations around my house and neighborhood. I completed these other observations on Tuesday, April 3rd on a chilly, cloudy day. In my neighbor’s yard, there was a lot of activity around the trees and vegetation they had growing. Two American Robins were bouncing around on the grass in search of food. A lot of robins migrate during the winter, but their migration is in response to food rather than temperature, so some will stay in their locations. Robins can be found year-round throughout the United States. Those that do migrate from Canada and the northern United States can be found in the southeastern US, Mexico, and the Gulf Coast.
I also saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings and counted 7 of them. They were all sitting on one tree at first, but then a couple of them flew over to a conifer together to forage. After a couple minutes, they all flew over to a new tree and mostly stayed together as a flock. Cedar Waxwings are short and long distance migrants. They often spend their winters in the southeastern portion of the United States, and some travel to South America. I also spotted one Northern Cardinal on the grass near some plants. It sang a couple of times while I was observing it. Cardinals don’t migrate and often eat from bird feeders during the winter.
Birds that migrate may be starting to return to the northern United States do to our increases in temperature. The approach of Spring makes species like the American Robin hopeful that food sources will be plentiful once more. If any of the Ring-billed Gulls I observed had just returned from migration, it could be because their water sources are thawing. The advantages of a migrant arriving in Vermont in early April is they will have access to the earliest available food. They can scope out which areas may have the best resources and take advantage of establishing themselves with a lower chance of competition from other birds. The various ways bird species deal with the winter months is very interesting and fun to learn about.
On Sunday, March 25th, I went to the East Woods natural area up off of Spear Street at 4:00 pm. It was a very sunny day and the temperature was around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. At the beginning of the trail when I first entered the woods, I immediately heard the calls of Black-capped Chickadees. They were foraging in a sunny section of the forest that had a lot of woody plants and small conifers. At first I only saw two chickadees, but when I got closer there were actually six. I made some “pish” calls when I was near the flock. It seemed like one of the chickadees looked at me for a couple seconds out of curiosity, but then returned to its business. The chickadees mostly ignored my “pish” sounds after that, perhaps due to a combination of living in an area where they are used to being near humans and not being able to hear me due to the loud cars on a nearby road. The reason this sound appeals to small birds could be because they hear similar noises in the woods. The rustle of a small creature or a flying insect made create similar noises, so chickadees respond or are curious enough to take interest. Maybe certain birds mistaking the “pish” for an insect would pursue the noise in hopes of a meal. Depending on the loudness or pitch of the “pish,” perhaps it sounds like other birds and the chickadees become alert.
While I observed the Black-capped Chickadees, I focused on one individual that was hanging out in a small section of the woods. This chickadee stayed in the sun as much as it could, enjoying the warmth and grassy areas where the snow had melted. This chickadee, along with the rest of the flock, were exclusively foraging in the areas where there was no snow. This could be part of their circannual rhythm because as warmer weather approaches, better food sources are emerging for birds. The chickadees are embracing the shift in seasons. Additionally, foraging at this time of day could be part of their circadian rhythm. As the sun starts to set, the chickadees need to prepare for a cold night of lowered metabolism by eating. They need enough energy in their system to optimize the functioning of their bodies overnight.
In the same area as the chickadees, I spotted one Brown Creeper and briefly saw a White-breasted Nuthatch running down the side of a tree. Walking deeper into the woods, there was more snow piled up and seemed to be less bird activity. It was fairly quiet until I heard the call of an American Crow and the response of a different crow in the distance. Right before I turned around to go back to the flock of chickadees, I briefly saw a larger bird fly into the woods. I only caught a glimpse, but it had a long wing span and white feathers on its underside. It took two large flaps away from me and flew out of sight. I attempted to pursue it, but only encountered a very vocal American crow. It sat high above me and cawed every couple of seconds. The harsh call of crows provides an easy way for them to communicate across long distances. They use these audio cues to tell each other if a predator is around or to locate each other for companionship.
Each of these bird species have very different color patterns and plumage. The Brown Creeper blends in really well with tree bark and can use this camouflage to protect them as they forage. An advantage of Black-capped Chickadees are their bodies are rather round and small, so if they get cold in the winter they can fluff up their feathers and minimize the surface area of their bodies exposed to the air. The black feathers of American Crows may help them absorb sunlight and stay warm in the winter. Dark feathers also help them remain inconspicuous and hide among tree branches.
As I drove from East Woods back to my apartment, a large flock of small black birds all fly up from a tree together. I could not tell what species they were because of the sun in my eyes, but their flight patterns were very coordinated within the group. They communicated by both visual and audio cues. They have to all watch each other to make sure no collisions happen, and the whole time they flew they were all calling out. Perhaps they are using these audio cues to warn the group of a change in direction.
On Wednesday, March 7, I headed to the Shelburne Bay area at 3:15 pm. It was a chilly, cloudy day and very lightly snowing. I drove down Harbor Road and stopped a few times to get out and walk around in the hopes of seeing some water birds. The first birds I saw during my observations were a whole group of Common Goldeneyes. I counted eleven of them. They were bunched into two groups and one flew out of the water suddenly away from me, making a whistling noise as it went. One other individual dove under the water for a moment, perhaps to look for food. Bunching together within the flock could help them retain body heat in the winter. Additionally, it appeared that a few of the Goldeneyes were keeping their heads very close to their bodies which could also be to stay warm. After that, I drove farther along the bay and stopped next to a field with nine Wild Turkeys. They were pecking at the ground looking for food close to a farm.
I drove to Shelburne Bay Park as my last stop, where I got out of my car and spent about an hour walking through the woods. In the parking lot, there were two American Crows on a nearby tree. They cawed a couple times as I walked into the woods, and I heard another American Crow call back in the distance. The trees were quiet for the first 10 minutes of my walk. I settled down in the middle of some conifers to see if I could hear any bird calls or songs. After a couple more minutes of staying quiet, I started to hear the yank sound of the White-breasted Nuthatch. I followed the sound and found two White-breasted Nuthatches making soft noises and pecking at tree bark. They would spend a little time on one tree and then fly to the next. They seemed to be a pair or mates that stuck together, as did the American Crows. As I was studying these two individuals, I also spotted a small Brown Creeper. I could hear its high-pitched, squeaky notes.
Once in a while I could hear the American Crows cawing in the distance. I also heard a couple of geese somewhere on the water. When I was walking back through the woods to leave, I heard the distinct call of a Black-capped Chickadee. When I followed the call, I found a group of five Chickadees all hopping around on the ground. They were looking for food, which is different to the last time I observed Chickadees when they were finding food on tree branches. Finding food in new places is a way the Chickadees have adjusted to the cold weather and limited resources in the winter. One of the White-breasted Nuthatches I had been following jumped onto the ground near the Chickadees as well to peck along the forest floor. The Nuthatches have also adjusted to foraging in the winter by seeking out the flock of Chickadees. All the noise and commotion coming from a group of foraging Chickadees may have helped the Nuthatches figure out where to find food.
When I got back to my car and started pulling away from the park, I saw the flock of Canada Geese I had heard earlier. There were eight of them and when I pulled over to observe they started making noises. As I watched the geese, a little American Robin was hopping in some nearby grass. The Robin may be confused by the big temperature changes we have been having lately in this area. The recent warm weather seemed like spring, but this drop in temperature could limit available food for American Robins. Among all these bird species, it was clear the primary way they sought food in this cold weather was to search and peck at the ground or sometimes tree bark. Almost the whole time I was observing, the birds were using all their energy to find food. The American Crows and Canada Geese didn’t appear to be looking for food, but both species were moving around quite a bit so they could have been searching for a new feeding site. The diets of these birds during the winter have less variety and bulk. They must spend far more time in this season looking for sustenance than the other seasons.
I saw a lot of dead trees and downed woody debris on my walk. The bulk of this material was located in the area I observed the Chickadees and Nuthatches. Snags and their cavities can be helpful for birds in the winter. They can use the snags for food and shelter. The Canada Geese were near some snags that had fallen into the water. Snags can contain insects for some birds to eat, or can act as a storage place for seeds and nuts. Most of the snags I saw did not seem to have any prominent cavities. Smaller snags may be beneficial to small bird species to feel more comfortable because they could use them to hide from predators. The larger birds I saw were in more open areas with less snags, probably because they have less use for them.
On Thursday February 15, I started a bird walk through Centennial Woods at 7:50 am. The weather was partly cloudy and every once in a while the sun peeked out. As I initially entered the woods that was close to some houses and a road, I could hear the call of a Black-capped Chickadee in the distance. I also heard the short chipping sound that I believed to be the call of a Northern Cardinal.
As I walked deeper into the woods, I saw the silhouette of a bird up near the top of a dead tree. On closer inspection I saw it had white on its face and was positioned on the bark with its head downwards. I continued to observe the bird as it scuttled down the bark, and determined by its movements it must be a White-breasted Nuthatch. I also spotted a bird jumping between pine cones at the top of an Eastern White Pine, but it was too far away for my identification abilities.
High above me, I briefly saw a hawk flying over a nearby clearing. It had a mostly white underside and distinct, individual wingtips. It appeared to be a Red-tailed Hawk, but flying so high with the sun shining I mostly saw its silhouette. Its way of flying was characterized by a couple strong flaps followed by long soaring supported by its strong, wide wingtips. It seemed to be searching the field for its next meal. While watching the hawk, I heard almost constant calls and songs from nearby Black-capped Chickadees.
I continued my walk into Centennial Woods and started seeing the Chickadees I had been hearing for a while. I saw two hopping around some small trees near a patch of Eastern Hemlocks. They jumped around a lot from branch to branch with quick movements. As one Chickadee moved from a higher spot on a pine tree to a smaller tree, it used several quick, small flaps to get moving and then tucked its wings into its body to swoop down onto the lower tree. Further still into the forest, I came across an area with many downed trees that was occupied by three more Black-capped Chickadees. They moved quickly between trees, logs, and woody plants, as well as the occasional drop down to the ground.
In comparison to the hawk, the Black-capped Chickadees had very different flight patterns. Where the hawk had long, sustained flights, the Chickadees flew in short spurts. The Chickadees took shelter among the trees and moved quickly. The hawk took its time and was completely out in the open. These two birds had very different flight patterns.
I remained in the same area for a bit to stay quiet and not disturb the birds. I heard an American Crow call in the distance. Then, I spotted a Downy Woodpecker. Although Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are difficult to tell apart, the size of this woodpecker relative to the nearby Black-capped Chickadees made me think it was a Downy Woodpecker. It was barely bigger than the Chickadees, and Hairy Woodpeckers tend to clearly outsize them. Briefly sharing a tree with the Downy Woodpecker was a Brown Creeper. It scuttled up the bark, pecking a couple places, and then flew away.
