Field Journal #5

-4/4/2021
-9-10:30 pm EST
-Golf course by Redstone Campus
-Sunny day, Light 7mph North wind, 35 degrees Fahrenheit, Low cloud cover
-primarily made up of Red pines, paper birch, American Beech, Eastern Hemlock. Also looked at some wetlands that had dense cattails.

Several of the year round residents that I observed include the Black-capped Chickadee, the Blue Jay, and the Hairy Woodpecker. These species all have adaptations, feeding behaviors, and/or nesting behaviors that allow them to brave the Vermont winter and remain here year round. Chickadees and blue jays are able to supplement the loss of insect prey with fruits, nuts, and seeds that are still foragable during winter (i.e. the flowering crabapple). They are also able to stay warm by using snags and openings in trees in order to maintain body heat. The Hairy Woodpecker's adaptations also allow it to overcome the loss of other food sources by being able to chisel its way to insects inside bark that are not accessible to most other animals. Because these species, and other year long residents, have the resources necessary to not migrate they will remain, as migration is an incredibly taxing process.
One of the facultative migrants that I observed on my excursion was the Red-winged Blackbird. In the last couple weeks many Red-winged Blackbird males arrived in order to establish territories. Females have begun arriving recently and breeding has commenced. Nesting has begun and eggs will start to hatch by the end of April. Burlington is right on the border of the Red-winged Blackbird breeding range so there were already a small number that had remained here year round but the bulk of the population that is here now is returning from migration to the the southern US and Mexico. As winter has ended Burlington's habitat conditions are becoming more supportive of larger Red-winged Blackbird populations - thus prompting their return. Redwings are primarily insectivorous and the end of winter means that insect population will become a viable food source once again.
I did not personally come across any obligate migrants but a great example is the tree swallow. This species is primarily insectivorous so as winter comes to an end it will begin to find more and more viable food sources but this is highly dependent on the weather. If we have an extended winter or have an unexpected cold snap the tree swallow's diet can suffer as they will be forced to rely on herbivory.

Mini-activity:
Red-winged Blackbird: ~1000 miles to southern US
Song Sparrow: ~600 miles or perhaps not at all
Canada Goose: ~500 or not at all
Coopers Hawk: ~1350 miles
Total: ~3450

הועלה ב-אפריל 5, 2021 07:30 אחה"צ על ידי ben__simms