Field Journal 2
I visited Fort Cassin on February 18, 2024, and started birding at 12:27 pm (end time: 1:49 pm). It was colder and windier than my last journal entry, with temperatures hovering around 34 degrees Fahrenheit and 12 mph winds. It was cloudy, which did not help me stay warm. I followed the road out to Fort Cassin Point, where Otter Creek enters into Lake Champlain. The further I walked from the boat launch (where the car was parked) the fewer trees there were and the more open the area became. At the end of the road, I had an almost completely clear view of the lake and the waterfowl on it.
Due to the location I was at, I mostly saw waterfowl. The Mallards and American Black Ducks were in separate but close-knit groups closest to the road and water's edge. I saw neither species dabbling, instead choosing to swim along Otter Creek with the current. Unlike the dabbling ducks, the Hooded Mergansers, Common Mergansers, and Common Goldeneyes were further out on the lake. While they were still mostly in groups, some Common Goldeneyes were seemingly alone. The Double-Crested Cormorant was also alone, and much further out than all the other species. When in a group, all the diving ducks seemed to dive at the same time. Due to the cold temperatures which are likely colder on the water, it is possible that sticking in a group allows them to retain some heat. At night, they probably stick closer to the treeline to have some sort of windbreak while also not straying too far from the water.
The Mallards and American Black Ducks likely stuck closer to shore to feed on vegetation, while the diving ducks were further out and dove for fish. There was some ice on Lake Champlain, but not enough to hinder their success at finding food. Perhaps if the lake freezes over enough, waterfowl will move to find open water where they can feed.
There were many snags along the road, but many of them had only small cavities. When I knocked on them, no wildlife popped their heads out. I did see a woodpecker of some sort, but it flew off into the distance before I could ID it. It was most likely a Hairy Woodpecker based on size alone, which would explain the smaller cavity sizes on snags. Woodpeckers are reliant on snags for food, but other species like Eastern Screech-Owls use cavities as places to nest and sleep.
תגובות
הוספת תגובה