lnolaker's Journal

03/16/2022- 03/10/2022

Lost Dutchman State Park, Tonto National Monument, and Roosevelt Lake, Arizona
03/06: sunny, mildly windy, 54 degrees (8:47am-3:55pm)
03/07: partly cloudy, 61 degrees (11:43am-1:00pm)
03/10: partly cloudy, windy, 65 degrees (10:14am-5:19pm)
Desert scrubland, brush, and cactus habitat.

Species List
*Bendire's Thrasher
-6 individuals
-foraging on ground
*House Sparrow
-3 individuals
-nesting in saguaro
-foraging under feeder with Bendire's Thrasher
*Black-throated Sparrow
-most common species; ~25 individuals
-foraging in flocks on ground, perching and singing on chollas.
*Mourning Dove
-3 individual
-perched on saguaro and foraging on ground with White-crowned Sparrow
*Phainopepla
-5 individuals
-3 males and 2 female
-flying and feeding on mistletoe
*Turkey Vulture
-5 individuals
-soaring overhead
*White-crowned Sparrow
-~8 individuals
-foraging in flock on ground (males and females)
*Northern Cardinal
-2 males
-singing from large bushes
*Gambel's Quail
-2nd most common species; ~20 individuals
-running in-between cover in groups
-1 male perched in palo verde tree
*Northern Mockingbird
-1 individual
-feeding on nightshade berries
*Gilded Flicker
-3 individuals
-perched on saguaros
*Verdin
-4 individuals
-nesting in palo verde tree
*Gila Woodpecker
-2 individual
-perched on cholla before flying to saguaro
*Common Raven
-2 individuals
-soaring overhead
Abert's Towhee
-2 individuals
-foraging on ground below feeder
*Curve-billed Thrasher
-2 individuals
-nesting in cholla; feeding lizard to young
*Lesser Goldfinch
-3 individuals; 1 male, 2 females
-perched on palo verde
*Cactus Wren
-3 individuals
-singing from saguaros
*Anna's Hummingbird
-3 individuals
-1 male
-female feeding fledgling
*Yellow-rumped Warbler
-~4 individuals
-swooping around trees
Costa's Hummingbird
-1 male
-perched on branch
Red-tailed Hawk
-~6 individuals
-perched on telephone poles by road
-2 soaring overhead together
*American Coot
-~10 individuals
-swimming and diving in group

Journal

The weather in Arizona has change to spring and many species have stopped needed to budget extra energy into keeping warm. Birds were primarily focusing on mating and nesting behaviors as well as foraging for food. The Curve-billed Thrasher was feeding its young in a nest, taking in a lizard before leaving again for more food. A female Anna's Hummingbird was feeding its fledgling. The fledgling was perched on a branch capable of short flights but called for its mother for food. A house finch was nesting in a saguaro and the young could be heard from the cavity. The male Cardinals, Black-throated Sparrows, Gilded Flickers, Gila Woodpeckers, and Bendire's Thrashers were all singing for females. Outside of the species seen soaring (like the Common Ravens, Turkey Vultures, and Red-tailed Hawks), all bird species were observed feeding and foraging. Different species were feeding on different things. The Northern Mockingbird was feeding on nightshade berries, the Curve-billed Thrasher was feeding on a lizard, the hummingbirds fed on nectar from flowers, and the smaller sparrow species foraged for insects and plant material on the ground. Food varies greatly based on season in the desert. There is always access to insects but other food sources are harder to obtain. Reptiles and small mammals go underground for most of the cold season and plant material is more abundant around the warm, rainy season. Birds would need to adapt their diets based on the season.
Mini-Activity
The desert doesn't have 'snags' in the traditional sense as trees rarely grow large enough for cavities in scrub habitats. The most common place for bird species to nest is on cactuses, specifically the huge saguaro cactuses. The campground and monument where I birded had hundreds of saguaro cactuses. Each cactus had around half a dozen cavities for nesting and roosting. These cavities are usually made by woodpeckers and then used by other species the following years. As saguaros can live hundreds of years, they provide essential habitat for bird species as varied as House Sparrows and Pigmy Owls.

Lost Dutchman State Park, Tonto National Monument, and Roosevelt Lake, Arizona
03/06: sunny, mildly windy, 54 degrees (8:47am-3:55pm)
03/07: partly cloudy, 61 degrees (11:43am-1:00pm)
03/10: partly cloudy, windy, 65 degrees (10:14am-5:19pm)
Desert scrubland, brush, and cactus habitat.

Species List
*Bendire's Thrasher
-6 individuals
-foraging on ground
*House Sparrow
-3 individuals
-nesting in saguaro
-foraging under feeder with Bendire's Thrasher
*Black-throated Sparrow
-most common species; ~25 individuals
-foraging in flocks on ground, perching and singing on chollas.
*Mourning Dove
-3 individual
-perched on saguaro and foraging on ground with White-crowned Sparrow
*Phainopepla
-5 individuals
-3 males and 2 female
-flying and feeding on mistletoe
*Turkey Vulture
-5 individuals
-soaring overhead
*White-crowned Sparrow
-~8 individuals
-foraging in flock on ground (males and females)
*Northern Cardinal
-2 males
-singing from large bushes
*Gambel's Quail
-2nd most common species; ~20 individuals
-running in-between cover in groups
-1 male perched in palo verde tree
*Northern Mockingbird
-1 individual
-feeding on nightshade berries
*Gilded Flicker
-3 individuals
-perched on saguaros
*Verdin
-4 individuals
-nesting in palo verde tree
*Gila Woodpecker
-2 individual
-perched on cholla before flying to saguaro
*Common Raven
-2 individuals
-soaring overhead
Abert's Towhee
-2 individuals
-foraging on ground below feeder
*Curve-billed Thrasher
-2 individuals
-nesting in cholla; feeding lizard to young
*Lesser Goldfinch
-3 individuals; 1 male, 2 females
-perched on palo verde
*Cactus Wren
-3 individuals
-singing from saguaros
*Anna's Hummingbird
-3 individuals
-1 male
-female feeding fledgling
*Yellow-rumped Warbler
-~4 individuals
-swooping around trees
Costa's Hummingbird
-1 male
-perched on branch
Red-tailed Hawk
-~6 individuals
-perched on telephone poles by road
-2 soaring overhead together
*American Coot
-~10 individuals
-swimming and diving in group

Journal
The most notable visual differences used to communicate with others of the species were the male hummingbirds. Both the male Anna's and Costa's Hummingbirds have bright, shimmering colors on their heads and throats. These colors come from structural color and they serve to broadcast the fitness of the male to potential mates. This specific display is beneficial to a small bird like a hummingbird because, for one, they are mostly bull colors to allow for blending into surroundings. The iridescent quality of the color allows for the ability to hide or show off based on position. In addition, structural color takes less energy to create and maintain which can be important for a bird with as high of a metabolism as a hummingbird. In addition, the male Anna's hummingbird was flying in circles, periodically landing of bushes, all while singing and flashing his throat colors. This is a display for females to attract a mate. A female Anna's hummingbird was feeding her fledgling who was also making noise. The fledglings calls were to alert the mother that it wanted food while it was still limited in its own ability to forage. The Gambel's Quail make a variety of noises. One in particular, should you get too close, is an alarm call. This is usually performed by the head male and alerts the group that there is a threat in the area. If you don't leave after that, they will often take off on a short flight to get away. The Cactus Wrens are very vocal. There is singing that is meant to attract mates but they are commonly involved in squabbles with other birds for perching/roosting spots and will often use their voice to claim territory. The Black-throated Sparrows were often found singing. The males would sing for the female from a high place, possibly to distinguish themselves from the foraging flock. Lastly, the male Cardinals were singing and looking for mates. It is very unusual for me to see a lone male Cardinal, especially this time of year so he was trying to attract females by raising his crest and singing.
Mini-activity
I attempted to "pish" for several species including Blue-grey Gnatcatchers, Black-throated Sparrows, and Verdins. However, I was unable to find the right frequencies before scaring them away. I think it didn't work for me because, rather than making them interested, I just alerted them to the fact that I was closer to them than they though.

Date: 03/20/22
Time: 8:52am-10:08am
Weather: 47 degrees and overcast
Location: Centennial Woods

Species:
*Ring-billed Gull

• 6 individuals, soaring and 2 sitting on top of resident hall
  *Black-capped Chickadee

• 4 individuals foraging in a group on the ground
  *Pileated Woodpecker

• 1 individual drumming on a tree
  *American Robin

• 1 individual singing in a tree
  *Downy Woodpecker

• 2 individuals; 1 calling from tree and a second responding
  *White-breasted Nuthatch

• 1 individual crawling up and down a tree
  *Barred Owl

• 2 individuals performing courtship duet
  *Red-winged Blackbird

• 3 individual males singing
  *Canada Goose

• around 102 individuals; mostly flying in V shapes and 2 swimming
  *American Crow

• 3 individuals flying overhead
  *House Sparrow

• 2 individuals; male and female pair singing

Journal
Several of the birds were found very close to the entrance of Centennial Woods and were observed in the riparian areas close to urban development. The Pileated Woodpecker was observed originally drumming on a stump while sitting on the ground before it noticed me and flew into a tree. The Black-capped Chickadees were foraging in a group and occasionally chasing each other through the underbrush. I heard the Barred Owl before I saw it. I only saw one but I could hear the response of a second one farther into the trees. I knew that the sounds I was hearing belonged to a Barred Owl but in my research afterwards, I found reference to the type of "laughing" noise as being part of courtship and bonding duets. So far, there are still only male Red-winged Blackbirds at the pond outside of Centennial Woods and they are working on staking out territory before the females arrive.
Most of the species observed were residents and don't generally migrate. This includes American Robins and Black-capped Chickadees. Robins are able to significantly fluff out their feathers in order to minimize the amount of body heat lost. In addition, they feed primarily on remaining fruit and seeds in the winter and don't suffer too much of a food shortage. Black-capped Chickadees are able to huddle together for warmth in cavities for the winter to prevent heat loss. In addition, they have been observed caching food items in order to make it through food shortages.
Facultative migrants are species that are usually short distance migrants that are more attuned to local conditions and can slightly alter migration patterns. The three facultative migrant species observed were Ring-billed Gull, Red-winged Blackbird, and Canada Goose. While the Canada Goose can be long distance migrants in many parts of the country, they are residents in much of Vermont. Here in Burlington, mass migrations have been observed and are likely short distance. They commonly migrate up north once the weather has warmed enough to thaw out the lakes and other bodies of water. Ring-billed Gulls are also facultative migrants and migrate north for much of the same reason as Canada Geese. They are able to find food easier once the weather in the north has turned for the warmer. Lastly, the Red-winged Blackbirds are facultative migrants. The males migrant north before the females do and they wait until the bodies of water have thawed as they usually make their territories around water. The females migrate north a little later so that they can focus on breeding and there is enough food to sustain the larger population.
Mini Activity
Ring-billed Gulls overwinter throughout most of the southern US. The distance from Florida to Burlington is around 1,200 miles. However, they also can overwinter as close as 20 miles away in Massachusetts. Canada Geese overwinter in the southwestern part of the US. The distance from Texas to Burlington is about 1,600 miles. However, they can also be resident as close as about 100 miles in Manchester, VT. Red-winged Blackbirds overwinter in northern Mexico and Baja California. The distance from Baja California to Burlington is about 2,500 miles. However they can be residents as close as about 100 miles in Manchester, VT.