tzumbo's Journal

This past Tuesday was an exceptionally nice day in Burlington, and therefore I took advantage of the afternoon and visited Oakledge Park with my roommate to bird watch and enjoy the sunset. We arrived at the park at 4:00 pm and immediately noticed two Turkey Vultures circling near the parking entrance. Perhaps there was roadkill or another decomposing animal nearby. Although not specifically sought after, a Black-capped Chickadee bouncily flew past my roommate and I as we walked down to the water. There were multiple dogs visiting the lake with their owners, and therefore the chances of bird spotting were lowered. Using binoculars, I spotted multiple Common Goldeneyes glide into the water close to shore. I was not able to determine gender of the members of the flock, but they were enjoying the wide-open water and occasionally diving for food. Seagulls are a common sight to see at the waterfront, but due to our weekly bird quiz I was able to distinguish the presence of Ring-billed Gulls rather than Herring Gulls. These gulls had a distinct black marking on their bright yellow beak, and they also had darker yellow legs compared to the pale leg color of the Herring Gull. We finished the afternoon watching and photographing the colorful sunset across Lake Champlain. During this time, a pair of American Crows briefly perched on a tree close to us, and performed some cackling vocalizations before flying back into the sky. A very beautiful afternoon, to spot some stunning bird species.

Although we are approaching the upcoming Spring months, avian species are still using behavioral adaptations to survive in colder temperatures. The Black-capped Chickadee that was spotted clearly had extra winter weight that he was carrying around for energy storage. Another behavioral adaptation that I visually observed was the fluffing of feathers by the American Crow pair. The observation site that I chose did not provide many dead snags. I spent my time near the shore of the cliffs and did not venture further inland, where there is typically more forest cover. However, many avian species depends on dead snags for a safe habitat: owls, woodpeckers, and jays. Other species, such as hawks and eagles, use these snags strictly for hunting and perching positions.

As a special Spring Break getaway, I had the privilege of joining Allan Strong and 10 other Rubenstien students on an ecology trip across the state of Florida. Although predominantly a birding excursion, some herps and mammals were spotted as well. A highlight of the trip was an early morning stop at Anhinga Trail; the first state park in Florida. The parking lot in particular is known for its mischievous Black Vulture population who enjoy pecking at car door insulation. Needless to say, visitors should need to put a tarp over their cars for protection! On the first leg of the walk we noticed a medium-sized Am. Alligator soaking up some sun on the water's edge. He didn't seem too bothered by any human visitors. Hence the name, Anhingas are the predominantly nesting species of the trail. Six nests were spotted in the mangroves trees, with two nests holding white-plumaged individuals. It was extremely exciting to not only see, but also hear the vocalizations the babies belted at their parents for food. The call was very simple and repetitive, which is characteristic for begging avian species. The juveniles also reached their necks and beaks towards their mothers in hope of a regurgitated meal.

The Purple Gallinule possessed one of the most striking, colorful plumage pattern of all species I observed on the trip. They have yellow legs, red beak, purple/blue underbelly, and green wings. In an evolutionary sense I can only guess that the species acquired this rainbow plumage to attract other mates and therefore increase fitness of it's population. The colorful feathers stick out like a sore thumb on top of lily pads, so I don't believe camouflage is it's first priority. On the other hand, Anhinga's plumage can be considered an evolutionary screw-up. This aquatic species spends most of its time foraging and diving under water. However, their uropygial gland is fairly inactive and does not secrete enough oils to waterproof their feathers. Individuals are therefore required to immediately sun their feathers for a long duration in order to dry them for flight. You would assume their feathers would have adapted to their lifestyle, but somehow they have not.

Phishing to flush birds was a technique that I learned from the almighty Allan Strong while on the trip. After hearing his vocalizations to attract birds I of course had to ask why he was making these funny sounds. Turns out that a phishing sounds simulates an alarm or scolding vocalization that some small avian species use to alert. We used this technique many a time on the trip, but on the Anhinga Trail in particular we attracted a Black-and-white Warbler to fly closer with this technique. The individual seemed very curious in the surrounding canopy area with excessive vocalizations from himself. Overall the trip was an overwhelming success, and I was so unbelievably grateful to learn under the majestic bird-nerd himself.