April 17th Field Journal
Date: 4.17. 2023
Start Time: 3:50pm
End Time: 4:30pm
Location: Derway Island Nature Preserve, Burlington, VT
Weather: 51˚F, 9mph SE winds, .2” rainfall in the past hour, 92% humidity
Habitat(s): New growth forest, proximity to river
Earlier today I went birding in Derway Island Nature Preserve. This has become one of my favorite birding spots as I always see a variety of species no matter what the weather conditions are. This time, I went in the rain to observe how species were behaving differently.
I was greeted by a loud Northern Cardinal, a Tufted Titmouse, and a Black-capped Chickadee in the trees at the entrance of the park. During my previous visit in March, only the Tufted Titmouse and the Black-capped Chickadee were present which is interesting considering that Northern Cardinals are not migratory birds. At first when walking further into the preserve I could only hear Northern Cardinals. While I could not see any of them, there were clearly multiple present. The first new call that I heard was a Song Sparrow. This was the only bids I was able to actually see throughout my entire visit, as it was perched on a short, bare tree. I was able to hear the call of an Eastern Bluebird, which is a species I have never seen before. It sounded like it was coming from the branches of a tall tree. In this same spot, I heard a Northern Flicker for the first time this year. Overhead I heard an American Crow, which felt unusual because it only sounded like a single bird. Typically I hear crow calls in flocks, but I have noticed that the crows tend to be more spread out in this area.
Derway Island is surrounded by the Winooski River and therefore has many waterfowl species. In the warmer months I often see Great Blue Herons, although it was still too early in the season for them during this visit. I came across Canada Geese, although I could not tell how many there were because I only heard their calls. Overall, I was surprised by the number of species I observed and how active they were. I assumed that the rain would prevent birds from being active, but it seemed as if most species were active in a different way. I rarely observed flight or movement, as most birds were perched on branches. However, their calls were loud and frequent. The rain likely contributed to the reason for no visible waterfowl, as these birds are more exposed. I look forward to returning in the warmer months to see a different variety of species.
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