sheamacleods dagbok

Time: 1:50 - 3:00 p.m.
Date: 4/29/2024
Location: Shelbourne Farms Inn / Around that area
Weather: 57 F, Cloudy, 5 mph SW winds
Habitat: Open fields, barns, small old growth forests with walking trails

My observations for field journal 6 took place at Bartons Cove in Gill, MA starting at 6:24 p.m. on April 22nd. The temperature was 55 degrees Farenheight with 4 mph northwestern winds. It was mostly sunny with just a few clouds in the sky before sunset. The habitat consisted of waterfront cliffs with walking trails surrounded by old growth forests. There were camp sites which fragmented the habitat, but birds could be observed throughout the entire trail despite separation.

Throughout my observation I noticed that birds were signing more unique and long calls in hopes of finding a mate during breeding season. The birds were perched on branches near the edge of the trees on the edge of the forest so that their plumage could be better seen by potential mates. These walking trails offered a variety of nesting habitats. There were old docks that would work to hide a nest in the middle, on the campers, and in trees or shrubs. I saw an unidentified songbird (only got a glance for a second) fly in the hollowed roots of a tree on the edge of the water in which the bird seemed to have nested in. I found this quite compelling because it seems like a nest basically on the ground would be at larger risk of egg predation or disturbance from not only other birds but mammals. It makes me think that these particular birds were less fit compared to others of their species and could not find any favorable nest habitats. These smaller songbirds would use small twigs and leaves from the ground to make a nest. While the nest was very open to predation, there were ample materials and very short distances that the bird would have to travel to build the nest.

After completing the sound map mini activity, I found it interesting to try to gage distance vs song strength while remaining still. My back faced the water however, I could still hear some birds more clearly across the cove that birds that sounded in closer proximity to me. I could understand better how bird size is directly correlated to song strength. Overall, after this observation, I found that observing these behaviors can provide valuable insights into the ecology and behavior of bird species. It was nice to go birding in a completely different area as well for a change!

Time: 3:30 pm - 4:25 pm
Date: Wednesday April 10th, 2024
Location: North Beach
Weather: 61 degrees Fahrenheit, light rain, mostly cloudy, 11 mph South winds
Habitat: Deciduous forests mixed with aquatic beach habitat

Today is March 27th, 2024 and I have just completed my field observation for journal 4 at the rock point trails just off the bike path. I returned to the same spot for my journals, but this time ventured off onto the side paths and trials next to the bike path. I began my observations at 2:37 p.m. and finished at 3:41 p.m. Today was cloudy, 48 degrees Fahrenheit, and there were northern 14 mph winds.

Some of the year-round residents I have continually observed include Black-capped Chickadee's, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, and American Crow. These year-round residents have adapted to survive the harsh winters here in Burlington. A physiological trait that is key to surviving the winter is a thick plumage as well as increasing metabolic rate. Black-capped Chickadee's and Downy Woodpeckers have thick insulating feathers that help them to retain their body heat all year. Behavioral adaptations may include reducing activity levels, roosting in groups, or roosting in areas protected from harsh conditions. The only species I observed that migrates only sometimes or is considered a short migrant is the American Robin. Some individuals migrate south to find places with more abundant food sources while others don't. Some species that migrate completely south or to Central America or Mexico include Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Yellow Warblers, and Red-winged Blackbirds. These birds migrate to reduce competion and find places with more abundant food sources and to escape the harsh winter conditions. Arriving in early April has its advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include being able to establish breeding territory, more available nesting sites, and longer daylight hours. Disadvantages include risk of cold weather, competition for resources, or limited food availability. I am hoping that soon I will see one of the species or another migrant on my next birding adventure.

Because every bird I observed is a year-round resident except for in the cases the American Robin, I used maps to determine their possible winter range. All About the Birds showed that they have been reported to migrate to central Mexico. Their wintering range could be anywhere from 0 - 2,131 miles. For my next observation I hope to observe different and less abundant species. The last 3 times, I have observed more or less the same species. This also could be because I am new to birding, but I'm hoping to see some migrants soon!

I began this observation at 2:04 p.m. on March 7th, 2024. The weather was about 43 degrees Fahrenheit and partly sunny with 12 mph northern winds. I returned to the site I visited two weeks ago and had a completely different experience. I was on the bike path at the end of Killarney Rd. where there is a small path to the beach and an overlook on the lake. Some frequent tree species typical to this area include Eastern hackberry, White oak, Sugar maple, and there were lots of vines covering the forest floor and wrapping around the trunks of the trees.

Because I visited my site on a relatively nice day, there were many different of species of birds singing simultaneously. Even though I couldn't see the birds, I noticed that when one bird started to get loud a lot of the surrounding birds did as well and vice versa. I heard a tufted titmouse making its typical "peter peter" call and another tufted titmouse responded with the same call from the other side of the bike path. It seemed like a group of sparrows were communicating with each other and trying to stay in contact to make their presence known.

I really love the plumage of the downy woodpecker. It was perched on a branch in front of me for about 3 whole minutes, so I had a good opportunity to observe it, I also had a close interaction with an American robin. These two species of birds have very different plumage. The American robin has more muted brown and red towns and I was thinking it was so they could blend in with the leaves on the ground so predators from above couldn't spot them as well. However, the downy woodpecker has a more robust plumage with a bright red spot on its head and black and white checkered wings and tail. The distinct red patch is a good way for the Downy woodpecker to establish territory and attract mates while the black and white tail helps them blend in with the bark of trees.

I tried making the "pish" call for about 10 minutes and I have no clue if I was making the right sound but after I thought it wouldn't do anything, a black-capped chickadee perched about 15 feet away from me. Otherwise, I did not have much success with noticing changes in the bird's behavior when making these noises I think I was doing it wrong. This song could be enticing to birds because it could mimic an alarm call and make birds curious.

Today is February 22nd, 2024, and the time is 12:50 p.m. For this observation I started at a private beach adjacent to Leddy Beach. I found this private beach a month ago and have been visiting weekly since because it is secluded, and I have observed birds here before. Throughout my hour-long observation that ended at 1:58 p.m., I walked along the Island Line Trail bike path that follows the outline of the lake throughout Burlington. The section of the bike path I was walking was surrounded by lush vegetation and rich green forest. The temperature was 38 degrees Fahrenheit with light rain and overcast skies. The wind was blowing 15.5 mph southwest, and it was an overall gloomy grey day.

One of the most abundant species I observed at my site were Mallards. When I was walking down the private beach 8 mallards were sleeping and covering their heads in their wings for warmth and protection from the rain. They were laying at the edge of the shore, despite the light drizzle of rain. When the mallards weren't sleeping, they were pecking at the shallow water looking they were trying to eat any washed-up debris. The mallards most likely sleep on the shoreline protected from the elements or in the water where they were napping. Because its winter and there's no one on the beaches, the mallards aren't getting food from people which they usually do during the summer.

Because of the light drizzle and cloudy weather, I did not observe many species on the actual bike path. Birds try to find shelter to stay dry and protect the insulating properties of its feathers. However, I observed 10 snags with clear habitable nesting sites for birds throughout my walk. Snags are important for birds and wildlife because it provides nest and foraging opportunities, perches for birds, and contribute to the health of an ecosystem. Snag size and cavity size have positive correlation, if a snag is larger the cavity size is larger. It would be typical to find woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, owls, and warblers in snags in Vermont. Because the bike path is well trimmed around the edges and therefore, I couldn't find a stick long enough to poke into one of the snags. Once again, I would like to plan ahead better with the weather for these field observations. The location I visited was an ideal place to bird watch I just came on a bad time. I had an awesome time walking around and paying attention to the nature around me!

For my first field journal entry I visited Outlook Park in South Burlington on February 9th and started observing at 3:47 p.m. The temperature was 50 degree and fully sunny with 13 mph winds blowing North. I ended my walk through Outlook Park at 4:50 p.m., making my observation just a little over an hour. The park consists of paved walking trails surrounded by commonly found tree species in Vermont. A large patch of Staghorn sumac dominated the edge of the path at the beginning of the park. There are many ornamental species around and, in the park, as well because it is in a residential area. There were large patches of Eastern white pine dominating the overstory of the habitat in the park. Other common tree species I observed while walking on the path included sugar maple, red maple, black cherry, and white oak.

When I first arrived at my observation site, I immediately noticed small groups of medium-sized black birds all flying north-east. Their body shape resembled an American crow or a common raven. They were flying very high in the sky and constantly flapping their wings but swooping down every 20 seconds or so. I am unsure of exactly what species this was, but I knew that they were completely black, and their tails had a trapezoidal or diamond like shape. They were travelling in groups about three and throughout my walk I would see groups of these birds flying high above every 5 minutes or so.

The only other species I observed on throughout my observation was a black-capped chickadee. It was perched for a brief second in the branches of the staghorn sumac. The bird was pecking at its feet before it flew away, every movement the chickadee made was jumpy and quick. When I saw the bird fly away also towards the northeast, it flew in short sporadic burst dipping up and down quickly. This birds small body size and flight pattern allows it to navigate the narrow branches and shrubs embedded within a forest. Observing how body size relates to habitat is fascinating because I realized how adapted each species is to their environment and how different each species is.

Overall, through my observation, I did not observe many birds. I think that the time of day may have affected abundance. I also believe that because I was in an open park near a main road if affects bird distribution. The habitat is extremely fragmented because the park is smushed between Spear Street and a residential area. For my next observation, I want to go to a more secluded location without human disturbances earlier in the day to see how my experience could be different. I have never been bird watching before and I'm very new to identifying species, being in an area with greater species density will allow my identification skills to build.